New Oral Weight-Loss Medication Shows Significant Results in Clinical Trial
A groundbreaking new weight-loss pill has demonstrated remarkable efficacy, helping one woman lose over three-and-a-half stone in just two years during a clinical study. The once-daily GLP-1 tablet, known as Foundayo, has generated substantial interest in obesity treatments following encouraging trial outcomes.
Participant Experience and Results
Clinical trial volunteer Maggie Linton, a 77-year-old US resident who participated in a MedStar Health study on Foundayo's effects, reported noticing changes within weeks of starting the medication. "It made a big difference almost immediately," she stated. "I could see my weight, as well as my cholesterol and everything else, going down all at the same time."
Over the two-year trial period, Linton lost approximately 3.6 stone, reducing her weight from 16.7 stone to around 13.2 stone. She described side effects as relatively mild, experiencing only brief constipation at the beginning of treatment.
Mechanism and Comparison to Existing Treatments
Unlike Mounjaro, a widely used injectable drug, this oral medication operates similarly by targeting hormones that regulate appetite. This mechanism helps users feel fuller for longer and reduces overall food intake. The pill represents part of a new generation of GLP-1-based treatments that have transformed weight-loss care through drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, which previously required injections.
Lifestyle Changes and Broader Context
Linton emphasized that lifestyle modifications were crucial to her success, incorporating walking, tai chi, and Pilates into her routine to maintain progress. "But I learned how to eat better, move a little bit more, and that kind of went away," she added regarding initial side effects.
Researchers highlight that the appeal of oral GLP-1 drugs lies in their convenience compared to injections, with once-daily tablets potentially making treatment more accessible if approved widely. However, experts continue to caution that such medications can carry side effects including nausea, digestive issues, and in rare cases more serious complications. They stress these treatments are most effective when combined with diet and lifestyle adjustments.
Development and Regulatory Landscape
The pill has been developed by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly after receiving clearance for use in the United States. This US approval is expected to drive further global interest as obesity treatments increasingly shift toward easier-to-administer oral options rather than injections.
In a related development, a pill version of the blockbuster slimming drug Wegovy was launched in America in January. Its manufacturer, Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, confirmed to the Daily Mail that they are working toward bringing the pill to the UK, with a regulatory submission planned for 2026. A spokesperson noted, "Regarding the UK, we are working towards a submission for Wegovy in a pill in 2026," though further timeline details remain unavailable.
The US Food and Drug Administration's decision followed large clinical trials of the once-daily Wegovy pill, which found it as effective as the injectable form. The tablet contains 25mg of semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in injectable Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic. While Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes and often prescribed off-label for weight loss, Wegovy was specifically developed and approved for obesity.
In trials involving approximately 1,300 participants, individuals taking the Wegovy pill lost an average of 16.6 percent of their body weight after just over a year, according to Novo Nordisk data.
