Lilly says more than 80% of Foundayo prescriptions went to patients new to GLP-1 therapy

Eli Lilly says that since its oral obesity drug Foundayo (orforglipron) won approval in April, more than 80% of prescriptions have gone to patients with no prior history of GLP-1 medication use ^[1][2]. The company is using the figure to argue that Foundayo is growing the overall treated population rather than pulling patients away from its injectable drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) ^[1][2].

The 80% figure comes directly from Lilly and has not been independently checked against outside prescription-tracking sources such as IQVIA or telehealth-channel data ^[1][2]. It appeared in commentary on the company's broader obesity-drug strategy, which now includes Zepbound, Foundayo, an experimental drug called retatrutide, and another experimental drug called eloralintide ^[1][2].

Lilly's finances show the weight-loss business is still expanding quickly. Second-quarter revenue rose 48% year over year to $23 billion, driven by Zepbound and the diabetes drug Mounjaro ^[1][2]. Adjusted earnings per share were $8.38, up 33% from the prior-year quarter ^[1][2]. Lilly raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $85 billion to $87 billion, up from an earlier estimate of $82 billion to $85 billion ^[1][2]. Mounjaro and Zepbound together made up 65% of Lilly's revenue as of the second quarter ^[1][2].

Beyond Foundayo, Lilly is developing retatrutide, which company-reported phase 3 data suggest may produce more weight loss than Zepbound, along with improvements in blood sugar control, obstructive sleep apnea, and knee osteoarthritis pain ^[1][2]. Retatrutide is not yet approved, but Lilly has granted early access to some adults who are ineligible for clinical trials, have refractory obesity, and have at least two serious or life-threatening obesity-related conditions ^[1][2]. Separately, eloralintide, a non-GLP-1 drug that mimics the hormone amylin, showed weight-loss results similar to GLP-1 drugs with better tolerability in a phase 2 study, according to Lilly ^[1][2].

Why it matters for patients

For patients weighing whether to start GLP-1 treatment, the needle-free pill format may be part of what is drawing in people who had not tried an injectable drug before ^[1][2]. If Lilly's 80% figure holds up under independent scrutiny, it suggests Foundayo is functioning as an entry point into GLP-1 therapy for many patients rather than simply a substitute for those already on Zepbound ^[1][2]. But because the number comes from the company itself and has not been checked against independent prescription data, patients and their clinicians do not yet have full visibility into how switching, discontinuation, or channel mix (such as telehealth) might affect the real-world picture ^[1][2].

The expanding pipeline also means patients may eventually have more options tailored to specific situations. Retatrutide, still unapproved, is being positioned by Lilly for people who need substantially more weight loss or who have serious obesity-related conditions, while eloralintide is aimed at those who want to avoid the gastrointestinal side effects associated with existing GLP-1 drugs ^[1][2]. None of these investigational drugs are available for general use yet, and their reported benefits come from Lilly's own trial disclosures rather than independent confirmation ^[1][2].

What happens next

The sources do not specify a date for independent verification of the 80% Foundayo figure against IQVIA or telehealth data. Retatrutide remains in development, with access currently limited to a defined early-access group meeting specific medical criteria; no approval date is given in the sources ^[1][2]. Eloralintide has completed a phase 2 study, but the sources do not list a timeline for later-stage trials or approval ^[1][2].