UK first in Europe to approve Eli Lilly's Foundayo weight-loss pill

The United Kingdom has become the first European nation to approve Foundayo, a new weight-control and type 2 diabetes pill developed by American company Eli Lilly. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted the authorization, though the treatment will not initially be available through the public NHS system.

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The United Kingdom becomes the first European country to authorize the drug Foundayo for both indications.

Foundayo is set to launch in the UK this month, initially accessible via private prescription. An Eli Lilly spokesperson indicated that the drug's price will be less than that of the Mounjaro injection, though further details were not provided. This development escalates the competitive landscape between Eli Lilly and Danish giant Novo Nordisk in the burgeoning market for obesity treatments.

Foundayo marks the second oral GLP-1 medication to receive UK approval, following Novo Nordisk's oral version of Wegovy, which was authorized in June. The European Medicines Agency has also reviewed Foundayo, with a final decision pending from the European Commission. The market for weight-loss drugs, previously dominated by injectables, is rapidly expanding to include oral alternatives.

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Foundayo will be launched in the UK during this month and will initially be available by private prescription.

Foundayo offers the convenience of once-daily administration without strict dietary or hydration requirements. In contrast, Wegovy requires administration on an empty stomach with minimal water, followed by a 30-minute wait before consuming food or other substances. Eli Lilly's drug, approved and launched in the U.S. in April, has seen swift demand, continuing its competition with Novo Nordisk's oral obesity treatment.

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The price of the drug will be lower than that of the Mounjaro slimming injection.