Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 candidate, orforglipron, demonstrated superior efficacy compared to Novo Nordisk's Rybelsus in a head-to-head Phase 3 trial for adults with type 2 diabetes.
The ACHIEVE-3 trial showed orforglipron reduced HbA1c levels by 1.9% at 52 weeks. Rybelsus achieved a 1.4% reduction in HbA1c levels during the same period. Orforglipron also outperformed the rival drug in body weight reduction.
The trial recorded higher rates of side effects for the Lilly drug. These adverse events led to more patients discontinuing treatment compared to the Rybelsus group.
Eli Lilly expects a U.S. Food and Drug Administration decision on orforglipron for obesity in the second quarter of 2026.