Lilly's Foundayo posts $184 million in Q3 sales, missing estimates

Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 pill Foundayo (orforglipron) recorded $184 million in third-quarter 2026 sales, short of the roughly $229 million analysts had expected, according to StreetAccount estimates ^[2]. The Citi research team also wrote that the medicine's sales fell short of expectations even as it continues to gain share in the oral obesity market ^[1].

The quarter was only the second earnings report to include Foundayo revenue ^[2]. The drug won U.S. approval in April and launched in the U.S. that month ^[2], roughly three months after Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy pill, which is semaglutide-based and launched in January ^[1][2]. Lilly's own results put Foundayo sales at $281 million for the first nine months of 2026 ^[3].

The miss stood out against an otherwise strong quarter. Lilly's total revenue rose 39% to $24.4 billion ^[1][2][3], led by its tirzepatide products: Mounjaro for diabetes generated $10.7 billion, up 65%, and Zepbound for obesity brought in $5.4 billion, up 49% ^[1][3]. Lilly raised its full-year revenue guidance to $91 billion to $92 billion, up from a prior range of $85 billion to $87 billion ^[2]; at the end of 2025 the company had projected $80 billion to $83 billion for the year ^[4].

On a call with analysts, Lilly U.S. president Ilya Yuffa said the company's share of new prescriptions in the U.S. oral obesity market is approaching "four out of 10," which he called "good progress overall" ^[1]. He also said about 25% of patients have reached one of Foundayo's maintenance doses, a proportion he said is "actually higher than what you see on the Wegovy pill" ^[1]. Yuffa attributed a recent uptick in consumer awareness partly to a marketing campaign featuring Martha Stewart ^[1].

Much of the analyst attention focused on the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, a nationwide access pathway for Medicare Part D patients that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched in July ^[1][4]. Lilly reported that 500,000 patients are now using the program to access its obesity medicines ^[4]. Yuffa said about 80% of patients using the program are new to incretin therapies, and roughly seven in 10 Bridge participants are using a Lilly medicine ^[1]. About 75% of patients entering the program chose injectables, a trend that may reflect the efficacy bar set by Zepbound, the executives suggested ^[1]. Yuffa nonetheless described "good growth and uptake of orals and Foundayo as well" through the program ^[1].

Outside the U.S., Foundayo has launched in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and those launches have performed "very much in line with our expectations," said Patrik Jonsson, president of Lilly International ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Two oral GLP-1 pills are now on the U.S. market — Foundayo (orforglipron) from Lilly and Novo's oral Wegovy (semaglutide) — giving people a non-injection option alongside injectable semaglutide and tirzepatide ^[1][2]. How the two pills compare head-to-head on weight loss or blood sugar has not been reported in these disclosures; the figures released cover sales, prescription share and the share of patients who reached maintenance doses.

The Bridge figures suggest that when older adults gain access through Medicare, most are still choosing injectables over pills ^[1]. Lilly executives suggested that may reflect how well Zepbound performs ^[1]. About eight in 10 people entering the program are new to incretin drugs, meaning the program is reaching people who were not previously taking any GLP-1 medicine ^[1][4].

What patients pay for Foundayo, and whether insurers cover the pill specifically, has not been disclosed in these reports.

What happens next

In January, Yuffa moves into the newly created role of president of Lilly Global Markets, overseeing both U.S. and international commercial operations as Jonsson retires after 36 years with the company ^[1]. Lilly CEO Dave Ricks also pointed to type 2 diabetes as an opportunity for Foundayo, noting that it accounts for "roughly half the volume of GLP-1s" in the U.S.; no timeline for that was disclosed ^[1].