The pill can be taken without food or water, its manufacturer says.
U.S. regulators on April 1 approved an obesity pill called Foundayo from Eli Lilly, adding a second option for consumers who want to take weight loss drugs but desire to avoid injections.
Foundayo is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication meant to be taken once a day.
“We believe Foundayo can help level the playing field for those living with obesity or who are overweight and living with weight-related complications,” David Ricks, chair and CEO of Eli Lilly, said in a statement.
“As a convenient, once-daily oral pill that delivers meaningful weight loss, this is obesity care designed for the real world.”
The first GLP-1 pill, Wegovy, was approved in late 2025 and is made by Novo Nordisk.
Unlike Novo Nordisk’s pill, which according to its label should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach with up to four ounces of water, Foundayo has no food or water restrictions, Eli Lilly stated. It can also be taken at any time, not just the morning.
The pills follow a slew of injectable GLP-1 medications, including Lilly’s Zepbound, that millions of Americans take to lose weight.
Clinical trials have found both pills effective at helping with weight loss. In trials of Foundayo, people who took the highest dose of Foundayo lost an average of 27.3 pounds, or 12.4 percent of their weight. A trial of the Wegovy pill revealed an average weight loss of 16.6 percent.
The dosage for Foundayo starts at 0.8 milligrams and increases to at least 5.5 milligrams over time.
Side effects include vomiting and kidney injury.
Both pills carry an FDA warning about the medications increasing the risk of thyroid c-cell tumors. People with a family history of thyroid cancer are told to avoid the pills.
Prescriptions for Foundayo are now being accepted and the drug will be shipped starting April 6.
Eli Lilly said it plans to sell Foundayo at an accessible cost. The company says people with insurance may be able to get it for as little as $25 per month, and people without insurance will be able to pay as little as $149 a month.
Novo Nordisk said this week it was starting a subscription plan for Wegovy in pill and injection form to lower the cost of the medication.
