UK First: Lilly's Foundayo Pill Now Available

Eli Lilly's new oral medication, Foundayo, has been launched in the UK for weight management and type 2 diabetes. Britain is the first European nation to offer this treatment.

Foundayo, chemically known as orforglipron, received authorization from the UK's medicines regulator on August 10. It is now available via private prescription, making it the second GLP-1 tablet to be introduced in the UK. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill was the first.

England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the health cost-effectiveness watchdog, will conduct an assessment before Foundayo can be offered on the National Health Service (NHS). Lilly is actively working with NICE during this evaluation period.

For patients seeking immediate access, Foundayo can be obtained through private providers. The estimated price for Foundayo is between £100 and £120 per month, which is notably lower than Lilly's Mounjaro injection. The pill is still under review in the European Union.