UK Approves First European Oral Weight Loss and Diabetes Drug

The United Kingdom has become the first country in Europe to approve a new oral weight loss and diabetes medication, orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced the authorization on Monday, August 10, 2026, for the once-daily tablet made by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.

The approval positions Foundayo as a significant new option for adults managing obesity or type 2 diabetes. It is authorized for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, or for those with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have at least one weight-related health condition. The medication is also approved to improve blood sugar control in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. Treatment is intended to complement a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Julian Beach, the MHRA's Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access, stated, "Following rigorous assessment of orforglipron's safety, quality, and effectiveness, we are pleased to be the first regulator in Europe to authorise this tablet for weight management and type 2 diabetes." He added that, as with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, it is a...