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NewsEli Lilly is claiming a win in the oral GLP-1 race. The company says its oral obesity drug Foundayo delivers greater weight loss and better blood sugar control than Novo Nordisk's higher-dose Ozempic pill in adults with type 2 diabetes — based on an indirect comparison of existing trial data. The rivalry between the two pharma giants is heating up as next-gen obesity treatments flood the market.
Eli Lilly is making a bold move in the oral GLP-1 arena. The company announced that its oral obesity drug, Foundayo, outperforms Novo Nordisk's 25 mg Ozempic pill (oral semaglutide, formerly Rybelsus) in adults with type 2 diabetes — based on an indirect comparison of data from two separate late-stage clinical trials. Lilly says the analysis, using multiple statistical methods, consistently favored Foundayo.
Novo Nordisk pushed back, noting that the comparison was made in people with type 2 diabetes — not obesity — and that T2D patients generally show less weight loss in clinical studies than those treated purely for obesity. It's also worth noting that Novo's 25 mg oral semaglutide dose isn't yet FDA-approved in the U.S. for T2D, with a decision expected by end of 2026.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With Lilly and Novo locked in a fierce competition for dominance in the growing obesity and diabetes drug market, this indirect comparison — while not a head-to-head trial — signals how aggressively both companies are positioning their oral GLP-1 therapies ahead of key regulatory decisions.