Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Eli Lilly May Launch Oral Obesity Drug Foundayo In India
Eli Lilly makes a medicine called Foundayo that is taken as a daily tablet.
The company wants to bring it to India, possibly in 2027.
It cannot launch the medicine there until Indian regulators approve it.
Lilly CEO David Ricks said the company is ready to begin once permission is given.
Foundayo is also known as orforglipron and is used for long-term weight management in some adults.
Lilly says tablets may be easier for people who do not want injections.
The company is investing $1 billion in manufacturing and technical work in India.
Other companies are also selling or developing competing weight-loss and diabetes medicines.
Eli Lilly may launch its once-daily oral obesity drug Foundayo in India in 2027, pending regulatory approval.
CEO David Ricks said the company is ready to proceed once Indian authorities approve the medicine.
Foundayo, also known as orforglipron, received United States approval in April 2026 for long-term weight management in certain adults.
Lilly is investing $1 billion in India through contract manufacturing and technical capabilities.
The potential launch would follow Mounjaro’s Indian debut in March 2025 and increased competition from Dr Reddy’s Laboratories’ generic semaglutide brand Obeda.
- Who
- Eli Lilly, led by Chairman and CEO David Ricks, is preparing the potential launch.
- What
- The company may introduce its oral obesity drug Foundayo, also called orforglipron, in India.
- When
- A possible launch year is 2027, subject to regulatory clearance.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- Lilly wants to shorten the time between international launches and Indian launches, while expanding access to a tablet-based treatment and strengthening local manufacturing.
- Drug
- Foundayo, the brand name for orforglipron
- Possible Indian launch
- 2027, if regulatory clearance is received
- Dosing
- Once-daily oral tablet
- United States approval
- Approved in April 2026 for long-term weight management in adults with obesity or overweight plus at least one weight-related condition
- India investment
- $1 billion through contract manufacturing arrangements and technical capabilities
- Previous Lilly launch
- Mounjaro was introduced in India in March 2025
- Competing product
- Dr Reddy’s Laboratories launched generic semaglutide brand Obeda in March 2026 at ₹4,200 per month, according to the article