Orforglipron (LY-3502970) is an oral, non-peptide, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist developed as a weight loss drug by Eli Lilly and Company. It was discovered by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., then was licensed to Lilly in 2018.

Orforglipron is easier to produce than existing peptide GLP-1 agonists and is expected to be cheaper.

Orforglipron is a small-molecule, partial GLP-1 receptor agonist affecting the activity of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP); its effects are similar to the actions of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) for reducing food intake and lowering blood glucose levels.

The results of Phase I safety and Phase II ascending-dose clinical trials enrolling people with obesity or type 2 diabetes were published in 2023.

Orforglipron has a half-life of 29 to 49 hours across the doses tested and is taken once per day by mouth without food or water restrictions.

Safety and dosing trials showed that the incidence of adverse events in orforglipron-treated participants was 62–89%, mostly from gastrointestinal discomfort (44–70% with orforglipron, 18% with placebo) having mild to moderate severity. The most common side effects of orforglipon are diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach, and constipation.

The ability of orforglipron to reduce blood sugar levels and body weight was judged favorable compared to dulaglutide.

In April 2025, results from a Phase III clinical trial involving 559 people with type 2 diabetes who took an oral orforglipron pill, injectable dulaglutide or a placebo daily for 40 weeks showed that orforglipron produced a reduction in blood glucose levels by 1.3 to 1.6 percentage points from a starting level of 8%.