Eli Lilly’s orforglipron shows promise in diabetes trial

Published 17/04/2025, 11:58
© Reuters.

INDIANAPOLIS - Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), a pharmaceutical giant with a market capitalization of $660 billion and impressive 32% revenue growth over the last twelve months, revealed positive results from its ACHIEVE-1 Phase 3 trial, assessing the efficacy and safety of orforglipron, a novel oral diabetes treatment. According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a robust gross profit margin of 81.3%, highlighting its operational efficiency in bringing new treatments to market. Orforglipron, a first-of-its-kind oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, demonstrated significant reductions in A1C levels and weight in adults with type 2 diabetes not adequately controlled by diet and exercise alone.

The trial met its primary endpoint with A1C levels decreasing by an average of 1.3% to 1.6% from a baseline of 8.0% across varying doses at 40 weeks. More than 65% of participants on the highest dose achieved an A1C of 6.5% or lower, falling below the threshold defined by the American Diabetes Association for diabetes management. Additionally, the highest dose led to an average weight reduction of 16.0 lbs (7.9%), with indications that participants had not yet reached a weight plateau by the study’s conclusion.

The safety profile of orforglipron was consistent with injectable GLP-1 therapies, with the most common adverse events being gastrointestinal in nature and generally mild to moderate in severity. Treatment discontinuation rates due to adverse events were relatively low across all doses.

Eli Lilly plans to present the ACHIEVE-1 results at the upcoming 85th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association and publish them in a peer-reviewed journal. Further data from the ACHIEVE Phase 3 clinical trial program is expected later this year.

Orforglipron’s development is part of Lilly’s broader mission to address chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is projected to affect an estimated 760 million adults by 2050. The company aims to submit orforglipron for regulatory approval for weight management by the end of the year and for type 2 diabetes treatment in 2026. With a strong financial health rating on InvestingPro and 15.4% dividend growth in the last twelve months, Lilly demonstrates both innovation capability and financial stability.

The ACHIEVE-1 trial is part of the larger ACHIEVE clinical trial program, which has enrolled over 6,000 participants across various global registrational trials. Orforglipron is also being evaluated for potential treatment of other conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension in adults with obesity.

This news article is based on a press release statement from Eli Lilly and Company. For deeper insights into Eli Lilly’s financial performance and growth prospects, including 14 additional ProTips and comprehensive valuation metrics, explore InvestingPro’s detailed research report, available as part of the platform’s coverage of 1,400+ top US stocks.

In other recent news, Eli Lilly has been the focus of several significant developments. Bernstein analysts reiterated their Outperform rating on Eli Lilly, setting a price target of $1,100, citing the company’s strong market share in the semaglutide and tirzepatide categories. Goldman Sachs also upgraded Eli Lilly’s stock rating from Neutral to Buy, highlighting the company’s robust position in the anti-obesity medication market and projecting its revenue to exceed consensus estimates by 2026-28. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s decision to discontinue its obesity drug candidate, danuglipron, has potentially reduced competition for Eli Lilly and other companies in the GLP-1 receptor agonist space. However, Eli Lilly’s stock experienced a decline following the Trump administration’s decision to delay a Medicare regulatory update that could have expanded coverage for obesity drugs. Additionally, President Trump’s announcement of impending tariffs on pharmaceuticals has raised concerns about potential disruptions in the global supply chain, affecting Eli Lilly and other major pharmaceutical companies. These recent developments underscore the dynamic landscape Eli Lilly navigates in the pharmaceutical industry.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.