Orforglipron (Foundayo): Price, Dosage and Side Effects
Orforglipron (Foundayo) price on 3 October 2026: $149 to $349 a month self-pay, $50 on Medicare's Bridge. The label's dosing, side effects and boxed warning.
The short version
Orforglipron, sold as Foundayo, is an FDA-approved weight-management pill. It activates the same GLP-1 receptor as semaglutide and tirzepatide, but it is a small molecule, not a peptide, which is rare on this peptide-focused site. That is why it can be a once-daily tablet with no injection, no refrigeration and no fasting rule, while the other GLP-1 drugs here are injected or need an empty stomach. As of 3 October 2026, Lilly sells it without insurance for $149 to $349 a month.
- It is not a peptide. It has no peptide bonds at all, which is why it works as a pill.
- FDA approved it on 1 April 2026, for chronic weight management only, not yet for diabetes.
- Self-pay Foundayo costs $149 to $299 a month with on-time refills (3 October 2026), and Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge charges $50 if you qualify.
- It carries the same boxed warning as the injectable GLP-1 drugs, though the label says it caused no tumours in the rodents it was tested in.
Orforglipron at a glance
- What it is
- Non-peptide small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist
- Main use
- FDA-approved as Foundayo, in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity, or adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition.
- Generic name
- orforglipron
- Brand names
- Foundayo (Eli Lilly) Label
- Brand guides
- Foundayo
- Also called
- LY3502970
- Molecular formula
- C48H48F2N10O5 (883.0 g/mol) Structure
- Evidence
- Strong human evidence
- US status
- FDA-approved · prescription only
- Half-life
- Approximately 29 to 49 hours after an oral dose, per the approved label.
- Dose
- Set by the FDA label Dosing page
Orforglipron, sold as Foundayo, is an FDA-approved once-daily pill for chronic weight management. Without insurance it costs $149 to $299 a month with on-time refills, as of 3 October 2026, rising with the dose. Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge charges $50 a month to people who qualify.
It reaches the same receptor as semaglutide and tirzepatide by an entirely different chemical route.
Dosing: the full titration schedule, on its own page.
US legal status - FDA-approved · prescription only
Foundayo (orforglipron) is FDA-approved, effective 1 April 2026, for chronic weight management. It requires a prescriber. A compounded or "research use only" vial or tablet sold under this name is not the approved product.
What is orforglipron?
FDA approved Foundayo, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and keep it off long term. It is for adults with obesity, or adults with overweight and at least one weight-related condition. It is not currently approved for type 2 diabetes; that use is being studied separately. It is not a tirzepatide pill, and no tirzepatide pill is approved: tirzepatide pills.
The approval was unusually fast. FDA’s announcement says it came under the agency’s National Priority Voucher programme, with review completed in roughly 50 days, the fastest approval of a new molecular entity FDA has logged since 2002. That reflects the review pathway, not years on the market: it is a new medicine with a short real-world track record.
Orforglipron structure
How orforglipron works
Semaglutide, tirzepatide and the research compounds elsewhere on this site, such as BPC-157, retatrutide and cagrilintide, are peptides: chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Swallow most peptides and digestive enzymes cut them apart before they reach the blood. That is why the approved peptide GLP-1 drugs are injected, and why the one oral peptide option (Rybelsus) needs an empty stomach and minimal water to absorb at all.
Orforglipron avoids the problem by not being a peptide. It is a much smaller, non-peptide molecule designed to activate the human GLP-1 receptor. Its label says it can be taken with or without food, at any time of day, with no water limit. That practical difference from oral semaglutide comes from the chemistry, not from a new formulation.
Does Foundayo actually work for weight loss?
Yes, by FDA’s review of the placebo-controlled trials behind the approval. Two 72-week trials backed it, one in adults without diabetes and one in adults with type 2 diabetes. At the highest approved dose (17.2 mg):
- Without diabetes: an average 11.1% body-weight reduction against 2.1% on placebo, roughly a 9-percentage-point difference. 71.5% lost at least 5% of their body weight.
- With type 2 diabetes: 9.6% against 2.5% on placebo. 67% lost at least 5%.
- On placebo, roughly 27% lost at least 5%.
These are trial averages, not a promise for any one person, and the lower doses taken on the way up show smaller effects.
Orforglipron dosage
| Step | Dose | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 0.8 mg once daily | Weeks 1-4 |
| Titration | 2.5 mg once daily | After at least 30 days |
| Titration | 5.5 mg once daily | After at least 30 days |
| Titration | 9 mg once daily | After at least 30 days |
| Titration | 14.5 mg once daily | After at least 30 days |
| Maximum | 17.2 mg once daily | After at least 30 days |
Taken by mouth, once a day, with or without food. A prescriber decides each step against tolerability and response; it is not a schedule to run yourself.
The boxed warning, and the twist in it
So this drug did not cause tumours in animals. It could not be tested for this the way the others were, and FDA applied the class warning because the open question, whether the rodent finding matters in humans, has not been closed for any drug in the class.
Orforglipron side effects
This is based on the FDA label for Foundayo on DailyMed.
When starting
Digestive effects are the most common. The label says nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea were more frequent while the dose was rising and decreased over time. Ranges vary by dose:
| Reaction | Reported range |
|---|---|
| Nausea | 26-35% |
| Constipation | 20-27% |
| Diarrhoea | 21-25% |
| Vomiting | 13-24% |
| Dyspepsia | 12-16% |
| Abdominal pain | 13-14% |
Ongoing
At maintenance doses, the label reports digestive side effects in roughly 60-69% of patients against 37% on placebo. Between 3% and 6% stopped treatment because of them.
Rare but serious
Besides the boxed warning above, the label warns of:
- Acute pancreatitis. Stop if suspected, especially with persistent severe abdominal pain that may spread to the back.
- Gallbladder disease. Gallstones (cholelithiasis) in 1% of treated patients vs. 0.7% on placebo; acute cholecystitis in 0.4% vs. 0.3%.
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), with higher risk when combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea.
- Acute kidney injury, usually from dehydration caused by digestive side effects.
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema. The label tells patients to stop the drug and seek medical advice promptly.
How much does orforglipron cost?
Orforglipron is sold only as Foundayo, so its price is Lilly’s. As of 3 October 2026, the self-pay price for a 30-day supply rises with the dose:
| Dose | Self-pay price, a month |
|---|---|
| 0.8 mg | $149 |
| 2.5 mg | $149, temporary through 31 December 2026 (regular price $199) |
| 5.5 mg | $199, temporary through 31 December 2026 (regular price $299) |
| 9 mg | $299 |
| 14.5 or 17.2 mg | $299 with each refill within 45 days of the last delivery; otherwise $349 |
The list price is $649 a month, and Costco’s member price is $649.21. With a commercial plan that covers Foundayo, Lilly’s savings card can bring a fill to $25, with savings capped at $100 a month and $1,000 a year. Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge charges $50 a month to Part D members who meet its criteria, from 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2027.
The full breakdown, with the Medicare criteria and a comparison with Zepbound and Wegovy: Foundayo price.
What is still unsettled
Foundayo has one confirmed indication and no long real-world safety record yet. Like every GLP-1 medicine, it carries the open question of what the rodent thyroid finding means for people over decades of use. I could not confirm its Australian regulatory status, so treat it as unconfirmed outside the US.
None of that is a reason to distrust the approval. “Newly approved” simply comes with its own caveats and is not the same as “long-proven”.
Related
- Foundayo price, dose and side effects
- Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)
- Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)
- Tirzepatide pills: why there is no approved one
- Oral peptides: which work as capsules or pills
- Survodutide: the GLP-1/glucagon peptide in trials
- Retatrutide
- Cagrilintide
- Best GLP-1 for weight loss: the approved options compared
- Are peptides safe?
Regulatory changes for this compound and others, as they happen: US peptide regulation tracker.
How Orforglipron compares
GLP-1 and related medicines. Doses for unapproved compounds are common practice, not trial-established. All weight loss and metabolism peptides →
| Compound | Main use | Evidence | Usual dose | US status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orforglipron | FDA-approved as Foundayo, in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity, or adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition. | Strong human evidence | FDA label | FDA-approved · prescription only |
| Semaglutide | FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes in adults (Ozempic injection and tablets, Rybelsus), including cardiovascular risk reduction and, for the Ozempic injection, kidney-disease progression; and as Wegovy injection and tablets for chronic weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with obesity or overweight. The Wegovy injection is also approved for weight management from age 12 and for MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis in adults. | Strong human evidence | FDA label | FDA-approved · prescription only |
| Tirzepatide | FDA-approved to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older, and to reduce cardiovascular risk in adults with type 2 diabetes (Mounjaro), and for chronic weight management and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea in adults with obesity (Zepbound). | Strong human evidence | FDA label | FDA-approved · prescription only |
| Liraglutide | FDA-approved as a once-daily injection under two brands: Saxenda, for chronic weight management alongside diet and exercise in adults and in children 12 years and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg, and Victoza, for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older, and for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. | Strong human evidence | FDA label | FDA-approved · prescription only |
| Retatrutide | Investigational in Phase 3 trials for obesity, type 2 diabetes and related conditions. Not approved for any indication in the US. Sold outside the trial system as an unapproved research chemical, often alongside semaglutide and tirzepatide. | Moderate human evidence | 2-12 mg, once weekly, starting at 2 mg and titrating up every 4 weeks to a 4-12 mg maintenance dose | Research use only |
| Survodutide | An investigational injectable peptide, not approved for any use. Its sponsor, Boehringer Ingelheim, is studying it in Phase 3 trials for chronic weight management and, in a separate programme, for MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis). It is also sold directly to consumers as a research chemical outside those trials. | Moderate human evidence | 0.6-6 mg, once weekly, starting around 0.6 mg; the phase 2 trial titrated over about 20 weeks to a 2.4-4.8 mg maintenance dose, while the published phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1 trial randomizes to a higher 3.6 or 6.0 mg maintenance target using a slower, flexible up-titration | Research use only |
| Mazdutide | Approved in China for chronic weight management and for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. Not FDA-approved in the United States, where it is sold to consumers as a research-chemical vial. | Moderate human evidence | 3-9 mg, once weekly, titrated upward from a lower starting dose | Research use only |
| Cagrilintide | Investigational amylin analogue studied alone and, more prominently, combined with semaglutide as the fixed-dose combination CagriSema, for chronic weight management. Not approved for any indication in the US; the combination is under FDA review following the sponsor's New Drug Application. | Moderate human evidence | 0.25-4.5 mg, once weekly, titrating from a 0.25-0.6 mg starting dose up to a 2.4-4.5 mg maintenance dose | Research use only |
Where to get Orforglipron legally
Orforglipron is an FDA-approved prescription medicine, so the legal route is a licensed prescriber, in person or by telehealth, and a licensed pharmacy.
How telehealth prescribing works, what it costs and what to check: telehealth peptide prescribing.
Common questions
Is orforglipron the same as tirzepatide?
No. Orforglipron is a small-molecule pill that activates the GLP-1 receptor. Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, is a peptide injected once a week that activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Both are made by Eli Lilly, but they are different drugs with separate labels and trials.
Who should not take orforglipron?
The label contraindicates it for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, and anyone with a known serious hypersensitivity to orforglipron or its ingredients. The label does not recommend it with severe gastroparesis, severe liver impairment or another GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Is orforglipron a peptide?
No. It is a synthetic small molecule with no peptide bonds, designed to survive digestion and be absorbed as a tablet. Peptide chains generally break down in the gut. Every other GLP-1 drug on this site, including semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide and cagrilintide, is a peptide. Orforglipron reaches the same receptor with a different kind of molecule, which is why it can be swallowed.
Is orforglipron FDA-approved?
Yes, as Foundayo. FDA approved it on 1 April 2026 for chronic weight management, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, in adults with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related condition. It is not yet approved for type 2 diabetes, which is in separate trials.
Why does orforglipron have the same boxed warning as injectable GLP-1 drugs if it did not cause tumours in animal testing?
Because the warning is about the drug class and the human receptor. The label says orforglipron is not active in rats or mice, so it produced no tumours in rodent studies; it does not switch on the rodent receptor. It does activate the human receptor, and whether the thyroid tumours other GLP-1 drugs cause in rodents matter for people has not been determined. So the boxed warning and the contraindication for a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 still apply.
How is orforglipron dosed?
As a once-daily tablet, with or without food, starting at 0.8 mg. The label steps the dose up about every 30 days: 2.5 mg, 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg, then a maximum of 17.2 mg. A prescriber manages the steps against tolerability and response, as with the injectable drugs.
Can orforglipron be taken with other oral medicines?
Ask your prescriber. Orforglipron slows stomach emptying, so it can reduce absorption of other oral drugs taken around the same time. The label singles out oral hormonal contraceptives: switch to a non-oral method, or add a barrier method, for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase.
Is a "research" or grey-market orforglipron vial the same as Foundayo?
No. FDA's warnings about compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide apply here too: dosing errors, counterfeit product and fraudulent labelling have all been documented in the unapproved GLP-1 supply. A vial sold outside the approval has none of the manufacturing oversight, purity testing or clinical review behind the approved tablet.
Is orforglipron available in the US?
Yes, as Foundayo. FDA approved it on 1 April 2026, so it can be prescribed now. As of 3 October 2026, Lilly sells it to self-paying patients from $149 a month, and Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge has covered it for weight management since 1 July 2026.
Where can I buy Foundayo, or orforglipron tablets, online?
You cannot lawfully buy the approved product without a prescription. Foundayo is dispensed by a licensed pharmacy once a prescriber writes for it, and Lilly sells it to self-paying patients from $149 a month; TrumpRx.gov lists the same prices. A site selling "orforglipron tablets" with no prescription is not selling the approved product, and the grey-market risks of unapproved vials apply to its tablets too.
What are the side effects of orforglipron?
The most common are digestive: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion and abdominal pain, worse while the dose is rising and easing over time. The label carries a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumours. It also warns of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar with insulin or a sulfonylurea, kidney injury from dehydration, and allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.
Which is better, Foundayo or Wegovy?
Neither is established as better, because no published trial has compared them directly; each has its own placebo-controlled trials in different populations. The clear difference is practical. Foundayo is a daily tablet taken with or without food. Wegovy (semaglutide) is a weekly injection, or a daily tablet taken on an empty stomach with a little water, at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other oral medicines. Which fits, if either, is a prescriber's call.
What kind of drug is Foundayo?
A prescription GLP-1 receptor agonist taken as a once-daily tablet, FDA-approved on 1 April 2026 for chronic weight management. Unlike semaglutide and tirzepatide, it is a small molecule rather than a peptide, which is why it can be swallowed.
Does insurance cover Foundayo?
It depends on the plan. If a commercial plan covers it, Lilly's savings card can bring a 1-, 2- or 3-month fill to $25, with savings capped at $100 a month and $1,000 a year, for up to 10 fills a year. If a plan does not cover it, the card gives the self-pay prices of $149 to $299. Medicare covers it through the GLP-1 Bridge for $50 a month if you qualify.
What is the brand name of orforglipron?
Orforglipron is sold under the brand name Foundayo, made by Eli Lilly. Foundayo is approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
What is the generic name for Foundayo?
The generic name for Foundayo is orforglipron. Foundayo is Eli Lilly's brand, approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Is Foundayo the same as orforglipron?
Yes. Foundayo is a brand of orforglipron, made by Eli Lilly: the active ingredient is orforglipron. It comes as a once-daily tablet, dosed at 0.8 mg once daily to start, increased at least every 30 days, up to 17.2 mg once daily. Compounded or research-vial orforglipron is not Foundayo and has not been through its FDA review.
Public cases involving Orforglipron
Official decisions naming Orforglipron, each linked to the announcement. They record what the ruling body found, not whether Orforglipron works.
Official decisions and statements
Martin MakaryFDA CommissionerOfficial statement
Makary said in the FDA's announcement approving Foundayo (orforglipron) that the 50-day review, the first new molecular entity cleared under the agency's national priority voucher programme, showed what the FDA can do when it cuts delays.
“This approval demonstrates what the FDA can achieve when we eliminate delays”
FDA press announcement, 1 April 2026. Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Drug Topics
References (10 sources)
Bibliographic detail is fetched from PubMed, not written by me - so a citation here cannot drift from the paper it names. Study design comes from PubMed's own tags rather than my judgement.
- 1.FOUNDAYO (orforglipron) tablets - full prescribing information, including boxed warning, dosing schedule, pharmacokinetics and adverse reaction rates.- DailyMed, National Library of Medicinelabel
- 2.FDA news release: FDA Approves First New Molecular Entity Under National Priority Voucher Program - orforglipron's approval date, indication and review timeline.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
- 3.FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss - dosing errors, counterfeit product and fraudulent labelling documented in the compounded and grey-market GLP-1 supply, the same pattern that applies to any unapproved orforglipron product.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
- 4.WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection and tablets - full prescribing information, cited here for its once-weekly injection and once-daily tablet dosing, used to contrast against Foundayo dosing.- DailyMed, National Library of Medicinelabel
- 5.Lilly: Foundayo cost information - list price (WAC) of $649 for a 30-day supply, checked 3 October 2026.- Eli Lilly and Companyother
- 6.Lilly: Foundayo coverage and savings - regular and temporary self-pay prices by dose, the $299 refill offer, savings card terms and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, checked 3 October 2026.- Eli Lilly and Companyother
- 7.TrumpRx: Foundayo listing - self-pay prices by tablet strength and the temporary reductions through 31 December 2026, checked 3 October 2026.- TrumpRx.gov (US government)other
- 8.Costco Pharmacy: Foundayo member prices for 30 tablets, all strengths, checked 3 October 2026.- Costco Pharmacyother
- 9.Medicare.gov: weight-loss drugs - the GLP-1 Bridge drug list (including Foundayo), $50 monthly copay and eligibility criteria, from 1 July 2026.- Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)regulatory
- 10.CMS: Medicare GLP-1 Bridge - program dates, 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2027.- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesregulatory