Finance
Eli Lilly's Weight-Loss Pill Shows Higher Side Effects Than Novo Rival in Diabetes Trial
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
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Eli Lilly shared added diabetes trial data: orforglipron delivered larger A1c and weight-loss benefits than oral semaglutide, but with more GI side effects and a slight rise in pulse.
Eli Lilly's Weight-Loss Drug Shows More Side Effects in Trial
Eli Lilly's Weight-Loss Pill Faces Challenges
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly's experimental weight-loss pill, orforglipron, caused more side effects and treatment discontinuations than Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide in a head-to-head diabetes trial, full results showed on Thursday.
* About 58% of patients who were on a 36-milligram dose ofLilly's drug in the study reported mild-to-moderate sideeffects, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, compared with45% of those treated with the 14 mg dose of oral semaglutide * Novo sells oral semaglutide under the brand name Rybelsusfor patients with type 2 diabetes to control blood sugar * About 10% of patients who received 36 mg orforgliprondiscontinued treatment due to side effects, compared with 5% ofthose treated with 14 mg Rybelsus * Those who received orforglipron also reported an averageincrease in pulse rate * Initial results announced in September showed 36 mgorforglipron lowered average blood glucose levels in patients by2.2%, compared with 1.4% on 14 mg Rybelsus * Patients who took 36 mg orforglipron lost an average of8.9 kg (19.7 lb), or 9.2%, of their weight, compared with 5 kg(11 lb), or 5.3%, on 14 mg Rybelsus * "We think that the totality of the profile here is atrade-off that patients will be very happy to make because theyare getting better glycemic control and better weight loss aswell as no restriction on dosing with food and water," saidKenneth Custer, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health * Lilly's orforglipron, like Rybelsus, mimics theappetite-suppressing GLP-1 hormone targeted by the company'sblockbuster injection tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro andZepboundComparison with Novo Nordisk's Drug
(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
Key Takeaways
- •36 mg orforglipron saw 58% mild-to-moderate GI side effects vs 45% on 14 mg Rybelsus.
- •Treatment discontinuation due to side effects: 10% on orforglipron vs 5% on Rybelsus.
- •Orforglipron recipients reported an average increase in pulse rate.
- •Earlier data showed A1c reductions of 2.2% with orforglipron vs 1.4% with Rybelsus.
- •Average weight loss: 8.9 kg (9.2%) on orforglipron vs 5 kg (5.3%) on Rybelsus.
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Eli Lilly's weight-loss pill shows higher side effects than Novo rival in diabetes trial
1What is the main topic?
Lilly released additional head-to-head trial data comparing its oral GLP-1 pill, orforglipron, with Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide in type 2 diabetes, detailing efficacy and side effects.
2How did weight loss and glucose control compare?
Patients on 36 mg orforglipron lost about 8.9 kg (9.2%) and cut A1c by 2.2%, versus 5 kg (5.3%) weight loss and 1.4% A1c reduction on 14 mg oral semaglutide.
3What side effects were reported?
Mild-to-moderate GI effects were more common with orforglipron (58% vs 45%), with higher discontinuations (10% vs 5%) and a small average increase in pulse rate.
