Eli Lilly’s Orforglipron Wins Big In China – Gains Edge Over Novo In Race For Potential $4.5B Market

Orforglipron, which is marketed as Foundayo, became the first weight-loss pill to receive approval in China, according to a Reuters report.

• Foundayo sales hit $184 million in Q3, bringing total revenue to $281 million since launch.
• Last month, the EMA recommended the approval of Foundayo for adults with obesity.
• Novo submitted the oral version of Wegovy for regulatory approval in August, but is yet to receive clearance.

Eli Lilly (LLY) has hit a major milestone in the world’s second-biggest pharmaceutical market after Orforglipron, which is marketed as Foundayo, received approval in China.

According to a Reuters report on Thursday, Orforglipron is the first weight-loss pill to be approved in the country, where patients have so far relied on injectable treatments, including Lilly’s Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) Wegovy.

LLY shares hit a record high in pre-market trading, gaining nearly 3%.

Foundayo Sees Sharp Gains Since April Approval

Foundayo, a once-daily weight-loss pill, has steadily gained traction since receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in April. The pill is also available in the U.K. and the United Arab Emirates.

Last month, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended the approval of Foundayo for adults with obesity or those who are overweight and have related health conditions. Unlike a few oral GLP-1 treatments, Foundayo can be taken without food or water restrictions.

Foundayo sales have also been rising, with Lilly reporting $184 million in third-quarter (Q3) revenue, bringing total revenue since launch to $281 million. The drugmaker’s Q3 revenue jumped 39% to $24.4 billion, driven by its blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes treatments, Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Lilly’s Potential Lead In China

Orforglipron’s approval marks a crucial step toward Lilly’s goal of capturing a large share of the rapidly growing weight-loss market.  J.P. Morgan estimates annual sales of GLP-1 weight-management treatments in China could reach RMB 30 billion ($4.5 billion) over the next five to seven years, up from RMB 3 billion to RMB 4 billion.

While Novo received approval for injectable Wegovy in China in 2024, its oral version, submitted for regulatory approval in August this year, has yet to receive clearance.

LLY Vs NVO In 2026

Retail sentiment for LLY on Stocktwits remained ‘neutral’ over the past 24 hours, while NVO trended in ‘bearish’ territory. LLY was also among the top trending tickers on the platform at the time of writing.

LLY shares have gained nearly 38% so far in 2026, compared to NVO’s 18.6% fall.

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