Still The Favorite GLP-1 !?

Despite two new oral GLP-1 pills entering the market this year, a survey of a relatively small sample of U.S.-based specialists suggests that the original injectable remains overwhelmingly preferred — and by a wide margin. A new Spherix Global Insights survey of 185 U.S. specialists shows Eli Lilly and Company's Zepbound remains the clear favorite among weight-loss treatments, even against Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy and Lilly's own new pill, Foundayo.

The numbers:
→ 80% of specialists reported high satisfaction with Zepbound, versus 59% for injected Wegovy, 48% for oral Wegovy, and 47% for Foundayo
→ On a 1-10 scale, Zepbound scored 8.5 for overall satisfaction and 8.4 for brand performance — the highest in 7 of 13 rated categories, including degree of weight loss, tolerability, and speed to results
→ Its one weak spot: out-of-pocket cost, where it scored just 4.7 — the lowest rating of any drug in any category surveyed
→ Discontinuation remains a real challenge across the class — 25% within 12 months, driven mainly by cost/insurance coverage (74%) and GI side effects (72%)

The oral pills are still early in their launch curves, so these numbers aren't necessarily where they'll land long-term. But for now, the data suggests convenience alone isn't enough to shift physician preference — efficacy, tolerability, and results are still doing the heavy lifting. Interestingly, between the two pills, Novo's oral Wegovy is reportedly ahead of Lilly's Foundayo on usage and initiations, per IQVIA prescription data — so the oral race itself is far from settled.

©Karthasis.