New GLP-1 diabetes pill delivers major weight loss and blood sugar control
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- Elecoglipron, an oral non-peptide GLP-1 developed by AstraZeneca, significantly lowered blood glucose and reduced body weight in adults with type 2 diabetes in the phase 2b SOLSTICE trial, with results published in The Lancet and presented at the ADA Scientific Sessions.
- After 26 weeks, up to 89.6% of elecoglipron participants reached the standard HbA1c target of 7%, compared with 24.9% on placebo; up to 72.3% achieved at least 5% body weight reduction versus 20.2% on placebo.
- The SOLSTICE trial enrolled 406 adults across nine countries, testing multiple doses and dose-escalation approaches, with researchers reporting a safety and tolerability profile consistent with other GLP-1 therapies at this development stage.
- Unlike oral semaglutide, which must be taken fasting with no food or water for 30 minutes afterward, elecoglipron was designed to overcome those dosing constraints — positioning it against orforglipron, the other oral non-peptide GLP-1 already approved in the U.S. for weight management.
- Mass General Brigham researcher Vanita Aroda, MD, also presented the REIMAGINE 1 trial of CagriSema (cagrilintide plus injectable semaglutide) at the same meeting, where up to 87% of participants reached the HbA1c target of 7%.
Why it matters: For the hundreds of millions with type 2 diabetes who avoid injections or can't tolerate oral semaglutide's fasting requirements, a simpler pill hitting the HbA1c target in nearly 90% of patients could broaden access — and puts AstraZeneca in direct competition with Eli Lilly's orforglipron in the oral GLP-1 market.
