Eli Lilly reports one-third of new GLP-1 pill patients choosing Foundayo
Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks told CNBC on Monday that one-third of new patients starting an oral GLP-1 medication are taking Foundayo, the company's once-daily obesity pill. Ricks announced the figure while breaking ground on a six-point-five billion dollar manufacturing facility in Houston. He also said that since Medicare coverage of weight loss drugs began on July first, seven hundred thousand seniors have started GLP-1 treatments, and seventy percent are on Lilly medications. Foundayo launched in the United States in April, a few months after Novo's competing Wegovy pill. In its first full quarter, Foundayo generated ninety-eight million dollars in sales. The company's share of the oral GLP-1 market is growing week over week, according to Ricks, as Lilly seeks to catch up in the pill market while maintaining dominance in injectable treatments.
Key facts
- One-third of new GLP-1 oral medication patients are taking Eli Lilly's Foundayo as of September 2026
- 700,000 U.S. seniors started GLP-1 treatments since Medicare coverage began July 1, 2026, with 70 percent on Lilly drugs
- Foundayo generated 98 million dollars in sales in its first full quarter on the market
- Eli Lilly is breaking ground on a 6.5 billion dollar manufacturing facility in Houston
- Foundayo can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictions, unlike Novo's Wegovy pill
- Eli Lilly holds approximately 61 percent of the overall GLP-1 market including diabetes and obesity treatments
Limits of this briefing
The available sources are predominantly centrist and business-focused outlets with no significant left-leaning or right-leaning editorial perspectives found on this story. Coverage centers on market competition and pharmaceutical business metrics rather than broader healthcare policy debates. Some sources are aggregators citing the original CNBC interview rather than independent reporting.
Sources
- CNBC: Eli Lilly CEO tells CNBC one-third of new GLP-1 pill patients are taking Foundayo, as drugmaker ramps up production Centre
- TheStreet: Eli Lilly CEO reveals astonishing shift in GLP-1 pill market Centre
- Benzinga: Eli Lilly CEO Says Foundayo Wins One-Third of New Oral GLP-1 Patients as Company Captures 70% of New Seniors Centre
- GuruFocus: Eli Lilly Just Got a Big Boost From Medicare's GLP-1 Expansion Centre
- Business Model Analyst: Medicare Gave Obesity Drugs One Price. Lilly Got 7 in 10 New Patients. Centre