Foundayo reaches about 44,000 weekly scripts as oral GLP-1s expand the market

Prescriptions for both oral GLP-1 drugs reached record weekly levels in the first week of September, according to IQVIA data cited by Citi analysts. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill (oral semaglutide) reached roughly 181,000 total prescriptions, up about 3%, while Eli Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron) climbed about 8% to roughly 44,000 ^[1][2].

Both figures were the highest either drug had recorded to that point ^[1][2]. Foundayo is still far behind the Wegovy pill in total volume, but the gap in new patient starts is narrower than the raw numbers suggest. An Aug. 28 Jefferies note, based on the prior week's data, put Foundayo's share of new prescriptions — scripts that exclude refills — at 21.5% of the oral obesity market ^[1][2].

The oral pills are not cannibalizing the injections, at least not yet. In the same week, total Wegovy prescriptions across the pill and the injection rose 2.7% to 513,500, with the pill holding steady at 35% of the Wegovy family ^[1][2]. Lilly's Zepbound (tirzepatide) scripts rose 1.6% to a little under 772,000 ^[1][2].

The pills are growing the overall market

Citi's bigger point was about the class as a whole. Using the last four weeks as a guide, total GLP-1 prescriptions across obesity and diabetes rose 5.4%, compared with a 6.8% decline in the same stretch a year earlier ^[1]. Citi attributed that roughly 12-percentage-point swing to the expansion of oral GLP-1 therapies, which the analysts said is likely broadening access to the class and drawing in new patients ^[1].

Market shares have shifted along the way. Lilly's tirzepatide held nearly 57% of the total GLP-1 market, up from around 49.5% a year earlier, while Novo's semaglutide stayed roughly flat at about 37% ^[1].

One caveat runs through all of these numbers: Citi analysts have repeatedly emphasized that IQVIA may still be missing some Foundayo prescriptions written through telehealth channels ^[1]. That means Foundayo's real script count could be higher than the panel shows, and week-to-week jumps may partly reflect better data capture rather than pure demand growth ^[1].

Several coverage changes help explain the recent acceleration. CVS was the last of the three big pharmacy benefit managers to cover Foundayo, starting June 1, while the Wegovy pill had full coverage in its first week on the market ^[1]. The federal Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program went live July 1, offering coverage of certain weight-loss medications, including Foundayo, for a $50 monthly copayment ^[1]. Lilly also began broad direct-to-consumer advertising after securing access with the three major PBMs in June, CEO David Ricks said on the company's second-quarter earnings call ^[1].

Even so, Foundayo's launch has undershot Wall Street's expectations. Lilly reported $98 million in second-quarter Foundayo sales, including $67 million in the US — a figure that disappointed many analysts, who had been looking at a consensus of about $130 million for the quarter ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

For people weighing options, the practical takeaway is that a pill is now a realistic choice in more insurance plans than it was six months ago, and script trends suggest more people are starting treatment rather than simply switching from shots. The two orals differ in how they are taken: Lilly has marketed Foundayo on the basis that it does not carry the strict fasting and water requirements attached to oral semaglutide ^[1].

Market-share data also hints at supply and access dynamics. Tirzepatide's rise to nearly 57% of all GLP-1 scripts means a large share of prescriptions now flow to Lilly products ^[1]. And because IQVIA may undercount telehealth prescriptions, published trackers may not fully reflect what is happening in cash-pay and online channels ^[1].

What these numbers do not show is anything about comparative safety, side effects or long-term weight outcomes. Prescription counts measure commercial uptake, not clinical performance.

What happens next

Fierce Pharma updates its oral GLP-1 tracker weekly using analyst notes from Citi and Jefferies built on IQVIA data ^[1]. Jefferies has said it still believes Foundayo can reach the consensus revenue estimate of $1.2 billion for 2026, though that projection has not been confirmed by full-year results ^[1].