Foundayo

What is Foundayo (orforglipron)?

Foundayo is a daily tablet for weight management, containing an active ingredient called orforglipron. It’s prescription-only and belongs to the same family of treatments as Mounjaro and Wegovy. Like those treatments, Foundayo helps you control your appetite, while making you feel fuller for longer. The main difference is that you swallow it, rather than inject it.

Foundayo also works slightly differently from the other GLP-1 tablet already available in the UK, the Wegovy pill. While the Wegovy tablet must be taken on an empty stomach, with limited water, and a wait before eating, Foundayo has none of those rules. You can take it whenever suits you, day or night, with or without food.

How effective is orforglipron for weight loss?

In the ATTAIN-1 trial, people who reached and stayed on the highest dose lost an average of 12.4% of their starting weight over 72 weeks.

The trial involved 3,127 patients, and it found the following results for those who stayed until the end:

Weight was not the only thing that shifted, with participants seeing improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and waist measurement. Most of the change happened in the first 9 months, with some people noticing a difference within the first month.

A second trial, ATTAIN-2, looked at people who also had type 2 diabetes and found a smaller average reduction of 10.5%. That pattern shows up with every GLP-1 treatment, and it’s not a sign that the treatment isn’t working.

Your own results will depend on your starting weight, the dose you settle on, how well you tolerate it, and the changes you make alongside it.

How do Foundayo weight loss pills work?

Foundayo mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that your body already releases when you eat. This hormone is part of how your body knows it has had enough.

When you take Foundayo, it simultaneously acts on the parts of the brain that regulate hunger and on your digestive system. In practice, this means:

• your appetite drops, so smaller portions feel like enough
• food stays in your stomach for longer, so you feel satisfied for longer
• the constant background chatter about food, often called food noise, quietens down
• your body handles blood sugar more efficiently

Trial evidence shows the lost weight is mostly fat, including visceral fat. This is the fat stored around your organs and is most closely linked to health risks.

The reason this is a tablet, when the others are injections, comes down to chemistry. Most GLP-1 medicines are built from peptides, which are chains of amino acids that your digestive system is very good at breaking down. This is why those medicines have to bypass the gut entirely and go through a needle.

Orforglipron is not a peptide. It’s a small molecule, robust enough to survive digestion and be absorbed normally, which is what allows it to work as an ordinary tablet.

Foundayo eligibility

Foundayo is licensed for adults with:

• a BMI of 30 or above
• a BMI of 27 or above with at least one weight-related health condition

Conditions that can count towards the lower threshold include:

• cardiovascular disease
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• obstructive sleep apnoea
• prediabetes or type 2 diabetes

It's also licensed separately to help manage blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes that is not well controlled.

Meeting the BMI criteria is the starting point rather than the whole picture. Our clinicians will look at your medical history, anything else you take, and any conditions you live with before deciding whether Foundayo is right for you. Sometimes the answer is that a different treatment would suit you better.

Orforglipron dosing schedule

Everyone starts on 0.8mg once a day and increases the strength of their treatment in stages, spending at least 30 days at each dose. This is called titration and is done to help your body gradually adjust to the treatment.

A typical Foundayo dosing schedule looks like:

• Month 1: 0.8mg daily
• Month 2: 2.5mg daily
• Month 3: 5.5mg daily
• Month 4: 9mg daily
• Month 5: 14.5mg daily
• Month 6 onwards: 17.2mg daily

However, you don’t have to reach the top dose! Plenty of people find a dose partway up that works well for them and stay there. And once you reach your target weight, Foundayo can also be used for maintenance treatment, meaning there is plenty of room to find a dose that works for you.

If you are losing weight steadily and feeling reasonably well, one of our clinicians may suggest holding or stepping back down if a higher dose is not agreeing with you.

Some medicines may also change how your body processes orforglipron. For example, certain antibiotics, antifungals, and immune medicines can mean your maximum dose may be capped at 9mg.

How to take your Foundayo pill

Take one tablet a day, whenever it fits your routine. There is no need to plan around meals or wait before eating and drinking.

However, Foundayo does work better if you take it at the same time each day, as it helps keep a consistent level of medication in your body. So, pick a time you think you can stick to.

It’s easier to remember if you attach it to something you already do daily, like brushing your teeth or making your morning coffee.

Remember to:

• swallow it whole, without breaking, crushing, or chewing it
• pick a time you'll remember and stick to it
• take it alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity

Importantly, Foundayo can make the contraceptive pill less effective, so you will need a non-oral method or an additional barrier method for 30 days after you start and for 30 days after every dose increase.

What to do if you miss a dose

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember and carry on as normal the next day. Never take two tablets in one day to catch up.

If you've missed a week or more, speak to one of our clinicians before starting again rather than picking up where you left off.

Is Foundayo safe?

Foundayo has been through the full MHRA assessment process and is licensed for use in the UK. Its safety was studied across a large phase 3 programme with 4,158 patients, with mild gastrointestinal side effects being the most common.

However, that does not mean it's suitable for everyone. Tell our clinicians if you have ever had:

• pancreatitis
• gallbladder problems
• a severe digestive condition
• diabetic retinopathy
• liver problems

Foundayo is not recommended if you have severe liver impairment or severe heart failure, and we don’t prescribe GLP-1 treatments if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea for diabetes.[CI1]

Tell any healthcare professional you are taking it before an operation or anything involving a general anaesthetic or sedation, since GLP-1 medicines slow how quickly your stomach empties.

Foundayo price

Foundayo costs from £109 a month at the starting dose, rising to £199 a month at the highest.

Every price covers your consultation and private prescription, so there is nothing to add on top.

Is orforglipron cheaper than injections?

The price of Foundayo is broadly similar to GLP-1 injections and the Wegovy pill, though it is cheaper at the higher doses than Wegovy and Mounjaro.

If budget is part of your decision, look at the price of the dose you’re likely to settle on rather than the starting price, as that is what you'll be living with month to month.

Foundayo vs other weight loss pills

The Wegovy pill achieved higher average weight loss in its trial. However, to take the Wegovy pill, you need an empty stomach, limited water, and a wait before your first food or drink of the day.

Foundayo doesn't ask for any of that, giving you more freedom when and how you take your treatment. Whether the trade is worth it depends on how confident you feel keeping to a strict routine every day, long term.

Foundayo vs Mounjaro vs Wegovy

Both injections produced higher average weight loss in their trials. If the number on the scales is the only thing you are worried about, then injections may produce stronger results

But that is rarely the only consideration. That’s because a treatment only works if you take it consistently for as long as you need to. For some people, a weekly needle is an obstacle, and for others, refrigeration is impractical.

If you are already on an injection and thinking about switching, that is something our clinicians can look at with you. You would need to leave at least seven days between your last injection and your first tablet, starting on 0.8mg.

And you don’t need to worry about weight regain as you switch treatments. The phase 3b ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial looked at people who had already lost weight on a GLP-1 injection and then moved to orforglipron. It found that they kept most of that weight off.

Foundayo (orforglipron) side effects

Most side effects are digestive, are mild to moderate, and settle as your body gets used to the medicine. If you do experience them, you are certainly not alone. You can read the full list in the patient information leaflet.

Very common, affecting more than 1 in 10 people:

• being sick (vomiting)
• constipation
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick (nausea)
• indigestion
• stomach pain

Common, affecting up to 1 in 10 people:

• acid reflux or heartburn
• bloating
• burping
• dizziness
• faster pulse
• gallstones
• hair loss (temporary and linked to losing weight)
• headaches
• low blood pressure
• tiredness
• wind

Uncommon, affecting up to 1 in 100 people:

• acute pancreatitis
• an altered sense of taste
• unusual skin sensations

When to seek medical assistance

Stop taking Foundayo and get medical help straight away if you have:

• Severe, persistent stomach pain, particularly if it spreads to your back or comes with vomiting, as this can indicate pancreatitis.
• Abdominal pain with fever, or yellowing of your skin or eyes, which may point to a gallbladder problem.
• Signs of low blood sugar, like shaking, sweating, dizziness, or confusion.
• Any sudden change in your vision, particularly if you have type 2 diabetes.

Call 999 if you have swelling of your face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing. Do not drive yourself to hospital.

Suspected side effects can also be reported through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.

Who should not take Foundayo?

Foundayo is not suitable if you’re allergic to orforglipron or any of the other ingredients in the tablet.

It's also not recommended if you:

• are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding
• are under 18
• have severe liver impairment
• have severe heart failure

If you are planning a pregnancy, treatment needs to stop at least three weeks beforehand. Anyone who could become pregnant should use reliable contraception throughout treatment.

Tell our clinicians about everything you take, including anything over-the-counter and any supplements.

How to store Foundayo

• No refrigeration needed.
• Leave it in its original bottle and carton, as the tablets are light-sensitive, and replace the cap each time.
• Store it out of sight and reach of children.

Sources

• UK first in Europe to authorise orforglipron for weight management and type 2 diabetes. (2026) GOV.UK. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment. (2025) The New England Journal of Medicine. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (ATTAIN-2): a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial. (2026) The Lancet. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Foundayo 0.8mg film-coated tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics. (2026) Electronic Medicines Compendium. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Foundayo 0.8mg film-coated tablets – Patient Information Leaflet. (2026) Electronic Medicines Compendium. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Orforglipron for maintenance of body weight reduction: the double-blind, randomized phase 3b ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial. (2026) Nature Medicine. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Yellow Card | Making medicines and medical devices safer. (2026) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. [Accessed 21 August 2026]
• Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. (2025) The New England Journal of Medicine. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial. (2025) The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. [Accessed 20 August 2026]
• Orforglipron for managing overweight and obesity [ID6516]. (2026) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. [Accessed 21 August 2026]