It is the first appetite suppressant in the form of a tablet.
When diets and physical activity are no longer enough to lose weight, the use of drugs can be considered. A new “appetite suppressant” could complete the current offer of weight loss drugs in France. The American laboratory Eli Lilly has made a global marketing request for a new molecule that has shown its effectiveness in the fight against obesity and diabetes.
Currently, the drugs allowed in France to lose weight are mainly analogues of GLP-1 (a hormone which regulates appetite and which helps patients to eat less) usable in injection. Among them: Saxenda® (Liraglutide, Novo Nordisk Laboratory), Wegovy® (Sémaglutide, Novo Nordisk)) and Mounjaro® (shooting, Eli Lilly laboratory). They are only available on prescription for people with obesity or overweight.
Unlike its injectable competitors, the new medication of the Eli Lilly laboratory called “Orforglipron” is in the form of tablets to be taken once a day. He is also a GLP-1 agonist. The results of phase 3 of the clinical trial, carried out in obese patients weighing on average 101 kg, showed significant weight loss of -10.4 kg or 10.5 % of their weight in just over a year (16 months). In comparison, placebo patients have lost only 2% of their weight. This medication was rather well tolerated by patients, without severe undesirable effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation).
Currently, the date of marketing of Orforglipron in France is not yet known. Its marketing will only be possible after the assessment by the European health authorities, followed by a national authorization. As a reminder, all obesity treatments are subject to strict medical conditions their use must imperatively be done under the supervision of a doctor. Historically, France has known other “appetite suppressants” but most were problematic due to serious side effects. ACOMPLIA® can be cited in 2008 due to psychiatric risks, the Mediator (an antidiabetic prescribed in 80% of cases as “appetite suppressant”), withdrawn in 2009 because of cardiac valvulopathies and orlistat (Xenical® and Alli®) which was the subject of the National Safety Agency (ANSM) liver attacks.
