What's the New Weight Loss Pill? Wegovy, Foundayo, and What’s Next

If you're looking for the new weight-loss pill, there are two new prescription GLP-1 tablets authorised in the UK in 2026. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised Wegovy tablets in June 2026 and Foundayo in August 2026. Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in the Wegovy injection, while Foundayo contains orforglipron, a different GLP-1 receptor agonist.

These tablets offer a needle-free alternative to injections, but there are important differences in how you take them. Here’s how the new weight loss pills work, their clinical results, side effects, as well as who may be eligible for treatment.

New Weight Loss Pills Available in the UK

Two new GLP-1 weight loss pills have been authorised in the UK. Wegovy and Foundayo are prescription-only medications for weight management. Both are recommended alongside a lower-calorie diet and increased physical activity (MHRA, 2026a, 2026b).

Wegovy Pill

The Wegovy pill is a once-daily oral tablet that contains semaglutide. Semaglutide isn’t new. It's the same active ingredient in the weekly Wegovy injection. In 2026, the MHRA approved an oral semaglutide pill for weight loss and weight management.

Wegovy pill is the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet to be authorised by the MHRA for people trying to lose weight or manage their weight in the UK. The starting dose is 1.5 mg per day. Then, the dose increases to 4 mg, 9 mg, and finally 25 mg, and each dose level lasts at least one month (MHRA, 2026a). Wegovy is a prescription-only weight loss medication. Before treatment, a prescriber should determine if it is clinically appropriate for you.

Foundayo

Foundayo is the brand name for orforglipron. It’s another daily GLP-1 tablet, but it uses a different chemical compound and active ingredient from semaglutide. The MHRA authorised Foundayo on 10 August 2026 for insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes and for weight management. The UK became the first European nation to approve orforglipron (MHRA, 2026b).

The initial dose for weight management is 0.8 mg/day. Your prescriber can gradually increase your dose to 2.5 mg, 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg, and up to the maximum dose of 17.2 mg a day, if needed. Eli Lilly, the manufacturer, recommends staying on the dose for at least 30 days before increasing the dose (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026).

How Do New GLP-1 Weight Loss Pills Work?

Wegovy and Foundayo are GLP-1 receptor agonists. Although they're not similar, both medications target the GLP-1 pathway, which affects appetite, food intake, and blood sugar regulation (British Heart Foundation [BHF], 2026; Wharton et al., 2025b).

GLP-1, Appetite, and Blood Sugar Levels

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate appetite and glucose control. GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic some of the effects of this natural hormone. They can reduce appetite, make you feel full faster, and lower calorie intake. Therefore, they support weight loss alongside a healthy, low-calorie diet and increased physical exercise (BHF, 2026).

GLP-1 receptor activation also affects insulin secretion and blood glucose control. Foundayo is also authorised in the UK for adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (MHRA, 2026b). However, this doesn't mean anyone can use either weight-loss pill to improve blood sugar levels. Your prescriber should consider your health, current medications, and treatment goals.

The new weight-loss pills can’t replace a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet. The MHRA specifies that patients should use them alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

How to Take Wegovy and Foundayo Tablets

Tablets don't require self-injections. But taking a tablet every day isn't always easier. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, recommends taking Wegovy tablets after at least an 8-hour fast (on an empty stomach). Take the whole tablet with up to 120 mL of water at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other oral medicines. These instructions help ensure the body absorbs semaglutide properly (Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

Foundayo has fewer restrictions on timing. You can take it any time of the day, with no food or water restrictions (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026). This can help you fit into certain routines, but convenience doesn't always mean it's the right option for you.

Wegovy Pill vs Foundayo: How Do the New Weight Loss Pills Compare?

Wegovy and Foundayo both target GLP-1 receptors and come as daily tablets, but they differ in their active ingredients, doses, and administration requirements.

Quick Comparison

Sources: MHRA (2026a, 2026b); Novo Nordisk A/S (2026); Eli Lilly Nederland B.V. (2026); BHF (2026).

The Biggest Everyday Difference

One of the most apparent practical differences is the dosing schedule. Wegovy requires an overnight fasting regimen. The tablet is taken after a fast of at least 8 hours with a little water and at least 30 minutes before breakfast, other liquids, or oral medicines (Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

Foundayo doesn’t have the same restrictions. You can take it with or without food, and there are no water restrictions. Eli Lilly recommends taking this medicine consistently as prescribed by your doctor and not more than one tablet a day.

Can You Compare Their Weight Loss Percentages Directly?

Not reliably. Researchers didn't directly compare the weight loss effects of Wegovy tablets with Foundayo. The weight-loss trials didn't include head-to-head comparisons between Wegovy tablets and Foundayo. The trials used different doses, duration, number of participants, and statistical methods (Wharton et al., 2025a, 2025b).

No head-to-head obesity trial shows that one tablet produces greater weight loss than the other. OASIS 4 trials didn't compare the Wegovy pill to the injection, only to placebo, so they can't prove the Wegovy pill is more effective than the injection (Wharton et al., 2025a). The separate trial results can show how each medicine performed against its own comparator, but they can’t tell us which tablet is more effective.

How Much Weight Can You Lose With the New Weight Loss Pill?

How much weight you can lose depends on your starting body weight, dose, diet, physical activity, treatment adherence, and individual response. Clinical trial percentages describe averages across groups of participants. You can't use them to predict exactly how much weight you'll lose.

Wegovy Pill Weight Loss Results

The OASIS 4 trial evaluated oral semaglutide 25 mg in patients with overweight or obesity and no diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned either to oral semaglutide or placebo along with lifestyle interventions (Wharton et al., 2025a).

Using the treatment policy estimand, which included outcomes regardless of the interruption of treatment or additional interventions, participants assigned to oral semaglutide showed 13.6% of initial body weight reduction at the 64-week mark. The placebo group had an estimated 2.2% weight loss (Wharton et al., 2025a).

The trial-product estimand also showed 16.6% weight loss at 64 weeks if participants remained on treatment as planned. This distinction explains why you may see both 13.6% and 16.6% quoted for Wegovy pill weight loss. However, it doesn't mean all patients will get those results. Furthermore, the OASIS 4 trial found that oral semaglutide produced better weight-loss results than the placebo group.

Foundayo Weight Loss Results

The phase 3 ATTAIN-1 clinical trial investigated orforglipron in obese and overweight patients with at least one comorbidity due to excess weight. Participants took once-daily orforglipron or placebo alongside a healthy diet and physical activity for 72 weeks (Wharton et al., 2025b).

At the highest dose, participants lost an estimated average of 12.4% of their starting body weight after 72 weeks under the efficacy estimand, compared with 0.9% in the placebo group.

At that dose, 77.1% lost at least 5% of their body weight, 59.6% lost 10%, 39.6% lost 15%, and 20.1% lost 20% under the efficacy estimand (Wharton et al., 2025b).

These figures need context. For example, 20.1% of participants lost at least 20% of their starting body weight, but that doesn’t mean the average participant lost 20%. Don't compare Foundayo’s 12.4% result directly with Wegovy’s 16.6% figure and conclude that one weight loss medication works better. The results came from separate trials.

Weight Loss Pills vs Weight Loss Injections

For people who don’t want to use needles, the new tablets provide another prescription treatment option. However, choosing between tablets and injections involves more than how you take the medicine.

Daily Tablet vs Weekly Wegovy Injection

You take Wegovy and Foundayo tablets once daily. Injectable options, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, are generally taken once a week. A daily tablet may be the best option if you don't like to inject yourself. However, you need to remember it every day, and the Wegovy pill requires a specific fasting routine (Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

Storage requirements also vary between products, so follow the instructions supplied with your medication. Some people find a daily tablet easier to manage, while others prefer a weekly injection.

Are Weight Loss Pills More Effective than Injections?

The existing evidence doesn’t establish that oral GLP-1 medicines are generally more effective than weight loss injections. OASIS 4 showed substantial weight loss with oral semaglutide 25 mg, but researchers compared the tablet with placebo rather than injectable semaglutide. The trial therefore can’t show that Wegovy tablets work better than the Wegovy injection (Wharton et al., 2025a).

When considering treatment, your prescriber will look at your medical history, side effects, dosing preferences, and clinical eligibility. Instead of simply choosing between a pill and an injection, they review your eligibility and determine the most suitable option for you.

Who Can Take the New Weight Loss Pills in the UK?

GLP-1 weight loss pills are prescription treatments for adults who meet defined clinical criteria. They aren’t over-the-counter slimming pills for anyone who wants to lose a small amount of weight.

Eligibility

The UK weight-management licences for Wegovy tablets and Foundayo include adults with:

• a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or above; or
• a BMI of 27 kg/m² to below 30 kg/m² and at least one weight-related health problem.

Weight-related health conditions can include high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Patients should use both medicines alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity (MHRA, 2026a, 2026b).

Meeting the BMI criteria doesn’t automatically mean either medicine is suitable for you. A clinician still needs to assess your individual circumstances.

Why You Need a Consultation

A prescriber needs to look beyond your body mass index (BMI). Your medical history, current medicines, previous weight loss treatment, and potential contraindications can help a prescriber determine your treatment options.

At Curely, you can complete this assessment online. Start by filling out a medical questionnaire, which a prescribing professional reviews to determine the most appropriate prescription weight loss treatment. If the clinician prescribes medication, we dispense and deliver it discreetly. Read more about our weight loss medication service before booking for an online consultation.

Completing a consultation doesn’t guarantee that you’ll receive a particular medicine. The assessment helps determine if treatment is clinically appropriate for you.

Side Effects and Safety of Oral GLP-1 Weight Loss Pills

Wegovy and Foundayo also have some side effects. Gastrointestinal problems are the most common side effects with these GLP-1 receptor agonists (MHRA, 2026a; Wharton et al., 2025b). Knowing what to expect can help you recognise when to contact your prescriber.

Common Side Effects

Common digestive side effects associated with oral GLP-1 medicines include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion and abdominal discomfort (BHF, 2026; MHRA, 2026a).

In OASIS 4, 74.0% of participants receiving oral semaglutide reported gastrointestinal adverse events, compared with 42.2% in the placebo group. Researchers described most of these events as mild or moderate (Wharton et al., 2025a).

Gastrointestinal effects were also the most common adverse events in the ATTAIN-1 orforglipron trial and were generally mild to moderate. Adverse events led 5.3% to 10.3% of participants in the orforglipron groups to stop treatment, compared with 2.7% in the placebo group (Wharton et al., 2025b).

With Foundayo, gastrointestinal symptoms occur more frequently during dose escalation and tend to decrease over time (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026). This is one reason treatment begins at a lower dose and increases gradually.

Side effects vary from person to person. Speak to your prescriber if symptoms become persistent, severe, or difficult to manage. Don’t change your dose without medical advice.

Serious Symptoms and Medical Advice

Acute pancreatitis, or an inflamed pancreas, is an uncommon but potentially serious adverse effect associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists. Foundayo’s UK product information lists acute pancreatitis as an uncommon adverse reaction (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026).

Persistent, severe abdominal pain requires prompt medical assessment. Follow the instructions in your medicine’s patient information leaflet and seek urgent medical help when advised.

Other precautions depend on the treatment and your health. Severe vomiting or diarrhoea can cause dehydration, for example. GLP-1 medicines can also increase the risk of low blood sugar when used alongside certain diabetes medicines, including insulin or sulfonylureas (BHF, 2026; Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026).

Your diet should continue to provide adequate nutrition while you lose weight. Prescription medication works as part of a wider weight-management plan rather than replacing a healthy diet and physical activity.

Are There More New Weight Loss Pills Coming Out?

Wegovy and Foundayo may not be the last oral medicines developed for obesity. Researchers are studying several other treatments, but don't confuse investigational medicines with products already authorised for UK patients.

Aleniglipron

Aleniglipron is an investigational once-daily small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Structure Therapeutics. It isn’t currently an approved weight loss medication.

Structure Therapeutics began its phase 3 ACCOMPLISH programme evaluating aleniglipron for chronic weight management in 2026. Clinical trials will help determine its safety and effectiveness and whether development should continue. However, this trial progress doesn’t guarantee future UK authorisation.

Oral Zenagamtide (Formerly Amycretin)

Zenagamtide, previously known as amycretin, uses a different approach. Researchers are developing it as a single-molecule co-agonist that targets both GLP-1 and amylin receptors. Oral and injectable formulations are also under investigation (Novo Nordisk, 2026). Novo Nordisk reported that its phase 3 obesity programme began in the first quarter of 2026. Zenagamtide remains investigational and isn’t currently an approved weight loss pill.

Wegovy tablets and Foundayo are now authorised in the UK, while treatments such as aleniglipron and zenagamtide remain in development. Drug-development timelines can change, so wait until regulators and manufacturers formally announce them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Do Weight Loss Pills Cost in the UK?

The cost of prescription weight loss tablets varies by medicine, dose, and provider. With a private prescription, the price may also include your clinical assessment, ongoing support, and delivery. Check what your chosen weight loss service includes, as prices can change over time.

How Do You Take the Wegovy Pill?

Take the Wegovy pill once daily after fasting for at least eight hours. Swallow it whole with up to 120 mL of water, then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other oral medicines (Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026). Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 receptors to help regulate appetite and reduce food intake.

What Happens if I Miss a Wegovy Pill?

If you miss a Wegovy tablet, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time the following day. Don’t take two tablets to make up for it. If you miss several doses or aren’t sure how to continue, contact your prescriber for advice (Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

What Happens if I Miss a Dose of Foundayo?

If you miss a dose of Foundayo, take the tablet as soon as you remember, but don’t take more than one dose on the same day. Don't double your dose to make up for a missed tablet. If you’ve missed several doses, speak to your prescriber before restarting treatment (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026).

Can You Take Weight Loss Pills During Pregnancy?

Don't use Wegovy or Foundayo during pregnancy. Stop taking semaglutide for at least two months before a planned pregnancy, and Foundayo at least three weeks beforehand. Contact your prescriber if you become pregnant or plan to conceive during treatment (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026; Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

Does Foundayo Affect the Contraceptive Pill?

Foundayo may reduce the effectiveness of oral hormonal contraceptives. Eli Lilly recommends considering a barrier method, such as condoms, or non-oral contraception for 30 days after starting Foundayo and for 30 days after increasing each dose.

Do You Need to Keep Weight Loss Pills in the Fridge?

Wegovy tablets and Foundayo don’t require refrigeration under their current storage instructions. Keep both medicines in their original packaging to protect them from light, and keep Wegovy tablets protected from moisture. Always follow the storage instructions supplied with your medicine (Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., 2026; Novo Nordisk A/S, 2026).

What Happens When You Stop Taking Weight Loss Pills?

When you stop a GLP-1 medicine, its effects on appetite and food intake no longer continue, so maintaining your weight loss may become harder. A balanced or calorie-controlled diet, physical activity, and ongoing support can help with the next stage of your weight loss journey. Speak to your prescriber before stopping treatment.

Is There a Mounjaro Pill?

No. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide and is given as a once-weekly injection. Foundayo is also made by Eli Lilly, but it isn’t a Mounjaro pill. It contains a different active ingredient, orforglipron, and is taken once daily.

Can You Buy Weight Loss Pills Over the Counter?

Wegovy tablets and Foundayo aren’t available over the counter. They’re prescription-only medicines, so a prescriber must first assess if the treatment is suitable for you (MHRA, 2026a, 2026b). Other weight-loss medicines work differently; for example, some treatments act as fat binders to reduce the absorption of dietary fat.

Conclusion

Wegovy became the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet authorised for weight management in June, followed by Foundayo in August. Both offer a daily, needle-free option for eligible adults who want medical support to lose weight, but they contain different active ingredients and have different dosing requirements. Clinical trials found meaningful average weight loss with oral semaglutide and orforglipron, but no studies show that one treatment works better than the other.

These medications aren't suitable for everyone, and MHRA authorisation doesn’t automatically mean they're available on the NHS. Your BMI, health, current medicines, and treatment history all matter when assessing suitability. If you’re considering a tablet instead of an injection, our providers can assess your eligibility and identify the UK-licensed option that may suit you.

References

• British Heart Foundation. (2026). Weight-loss pills vs injections: What’s the difference? British Heart Foundation.
• Eli Lilly Nederland B.V. (2026). Foundayo 9 mg film-coated tablets: Summary of product characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium.
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. (2026a, June 11). First GLP-1 tablet for weight loss approved in the UK.
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. (2026b, August 10). UK first in Europe to authorise orforglipron for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
• Novo Nordisk. (2026). Annual report 2025: Innovation and therapeutic focus. Novo Nordisk.
• Novo Nordisk A/S. (2026). Wegovy 25 mg tablets: Summary of product characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium.
• Structure Therapeutics. (2026, August 6). Structure Therapeutics reports second quarter 2026 financial results and recent highlights. Structure Therapeutics.
• Wharton, S., Aronne, L. J., Stefanski, A., Alfaris, N. F., Ciudin, A., Yokote, K., Halpern, B., Shukla, A. P., Zhou, C., Macpherson, L., Allen, S. E., Ahmad, N. N., & Klise, S. R. (2025b). Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity treatment. The New England Journal of Medicine, 393, 1796–1806.
• Wharton, S., Lingvay, I., Bogdanski, P., Duque do Vale, R., Jacob, S., Karlsson, T., Shaji, C., Rubino, D., & Garvey, W. T. (2025a). Oral semaglutide at a dose of 25 mg in adults with overweight or obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 393(11), 1077–1087.