Foundayo posts $98 million in its first partial quarter, below expectations

Eli Lilly reported on August 5, 2026 that Foundayo (orforglipron), its once-daily oral GLP-1 pill, generated $98 million in worldwide revenue in the second quarter of 2026, including $67 million in the United States ^[1][2]. That fell short of a Wall Street consensus near $130 million, though it topped the $71 million in U.S. sales that Jefferies analysts had modeled based on prescription data ^[2].

The figure covers Foundayo's first partial quarter on the market, and it landed inside a blockbuster quarter for the company. Lilly's total Q2 revenue rose 48% to $23.0 billion, driven mainly by its injectable tirzepatide products ^[1]. Mounjaro revenue climbed 91% to $9.9 billion worldwide, with U.S. sales up 45% to $4.8 billion, while Zepbound reached $4.9 billion ^[1]. Lilly raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $85.0 billion to $87.0 billion ^[1].

A slow start with a coverage explanation

Lilly added Foundayo to its "Key Products" list in the second quarter, a grouping that also includes Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ebglyss, Inluriyo, Jaypirca, Kisunla and Omvoh ^[1]. The company also confirmed it had submitted orforglipron to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for type 2 diabetes ^[1]. Whether and when that submission is approved is not yet known from these sources.

Executives tied the soft early sales to timing on insurance coverage. CEO David Ricks said on the earnings call that Lilly began broad direct-to-consumer marketing to raise awareness only after securing commercial access across the three major pharmacy benefit managers in June ^[2]. Jefferies noted that CVS was the last of the big three PBMs to cover Foundayo, starting June 1, while Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill had full coverage in its first week on the market ^[2].

A second access change arrived after the quarter closed. The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program went live July 1, offering coverage for certain weight-loss medicines, including Foundayo, at a $50 monthly copayment ^[2]. Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly USA and global customer capabilities, said the company is "starting to see an inflection point on Foundayo now" ^[2].

Prescription data since then have moved up. IQVIA figures cited by Citi showed Foundayo at 19,550 weekly prescriptions in week 13 of its launch, then 26,760 in late July, 34,219 in early August, 40,862 by the week reported August 28, and roughly 47,500 in the week reported September 11 ^[2]. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill remains far ahead, reaching about 183,000 weekly prescriptions in the same September reporting period ^[2]. Analysts caution that IQVIA may be missing some Foundayo prescriptions filled through telehealth channels, so the true gap could be narrower ^[2].

Despite the miss, Jefferies said it still believed Foundayo could reach the consensus estimate of $1.2 billion in 2026 sales ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

Foundayo is a pill, not an injection, and it does not carry the strict fasting and water requirements that apply to some other oral GLP-1 options ^[2]. For people who have avoided injectable treatments, that difference is the main draw. But the second-quarter numbers show how much early access, not demand alone, shapes whether a new drug actually reaches people. Coverage at all three major PBMs arrived only in June ^[2], meaning many people who wanted the drug earlier in the spring likely faced cash prices or denials.

The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program's $50 monthly copay is a concrete change for Part D beneficiaries, and Foundayo is among the covered weight-loss medicines ^[2]. Coverage details, eligibility rules and how long the program runs are not described in these sources.

One broader signal: Citi analysts said total GLP-1 prescriptions grew 5.4% over a four-week stretch, compared with a 6.8% decline a year earlier, and attributed the swing to oral GLP-1s broadening access and drawing in new patients ^[2]. More options in the class can mean more formulary choices, though it does not guarantee lower prices.

What happens next

Lilly's orforglipron type 2 diabetes submission is pending with the FDA; no decision date is given in these sources ^[1]. Separately, Lilly said the clinical data package for retatrutide, its next-generation obesity drug, is complete for obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and knee osteoarthritis pain, with a U.S. filing planned for the first quarter of 2027 ^[1]. Third-quarter results should show whether the June PBM coverage and July Medicare Bridge translate into the inflection Lilly describes.