Lilly Launches Seventh Phase 3 Trial of Oral Small Molecule GLP-1R Agonist Orforglipron, Challenging Oral Semaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes

Intelligent Finance APP learned that recently, Eli Lilly (LLY.US) announced the launch of the seventh Phase III clinical trial, ACHIEVE-3, for the small molecule GLP-1R agonist Orforglipron (LY3502970), targeting type 2 diabetes. Notably, this global multicenter Phase III clinical trial poses a challenge to the leading drug in the same field, with the control group set as oral semaglutide, resembling the previous head-to-head challenge stance of Tirzepatide. Orforglipron is currently the fastest-progressing drug of its kind globally, and no other small molecule GLP-1R agonist drugs have entered Phase III clinical trials so far.

According to the Insight database, Orforglipron has already initiated multiple Phase III studies targeting obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and Type 2 diabetes, advancing at full speed.

Eli Lilly also has the GLP-1R/GCGR/GIPR triple agonist Retatrutide, which is currently in Phase III clinical development, and its first indication has shifted to the obesity field. The dual-target drug Tirzepatide achieved sales of $1.548 billion in the first half of the year, showing astonishing growth and directly breaking into the global top 50 pharmaceutical sales.