A new era in obesity and diabetes treatment is on the horizon as pharmaceutical companies prepare drugs that many are calling ‘Ozempic 2.0.’
These medicines aim to be more effective and much easier to take than today’s injectable drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. The leading candidate so far is Eli Lilly’s experimental pill, orforglipron.
What is different in the case of Ozempic 2.0?
The biggest change is how the drug will be delivered. Instead of weekly injections, the new generation of GLP-1 treatments will be taken once a day as a pill.
Eli Lilly says its pill can be, “taken once per day without food and water restrictions,” as reported by The Washington Post. This could greatly improve accessibility and patient comfort.
Pills are often easier to distribute and do not require refrigeration, making them more affordable for people and healthcare systems.
Drugmakers say this could be a turning point in expanding treatment to countries where injectable GLP-1s remain too costly.
In a year-long study, orforglipron outperformed Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide, which is the pill version of Ozempic. At the highest trial dose, patients taking orforglipron lost an average of 9.2% of their body weight, compared with 5.3% for the rival pill.
Eli Lilly’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dan Skovronsky, told Washington Post the pill has the potential to become a main treatment “for both diabetes and obesity for the majority of patients, this could be the main medicine that they need to control their Type 2 diabetes as well as their obesity.”
However, these medicines are still under review by the FDA.
There have also been setbacks in the field. Novo Nordisk recently disclosed that an oral GLP-1 drug failed to slow Alzheimer’s progression in two major trials, tempering some hopes around secondary benefits.
Difference between pills and injectables
Drugmakers expect slightly less weight loss from pills than from injectable versions. Early trials show patients on oral drugs losing about 11 to 14 per cent of their body weight in a year. However, stronger weekly injectables deliver 15 to 20 per cent.
To improve results and reduce side effects such as nausea and muscle loss, companies are testing new hormone combinations.
As reported by The Washington Post, one candidate pairs semaglutide with amylin, with early data suggesting weight loss close to 20 percent while putting less stress on the digestive system.
Researchers are also working on monthly injections, which could remove a major adherence challenge for patients who dislike weekly dosing.
Some of these monthly formulations are already in mid-stage trials, following a high-profile biotech acquisition worth billions. Analysts believe monthly dosing could become a major breakthrough for people managing weight alongside chronic illness.
When will it arrive?
If approvals move quickly, the first once-daily weight-loss pills could be available as soon as 2026. With easier delivery, wider access and potentially lower prices, Ozempic 2.0 may make metabolic disease treatment for millions worldwide.