Pharmacy Price Hound

How Much Will Orforglipron Cost in the UK?

Orforglipron is Eli Lilly’s daily GLP-1 tablet in late stage trials for obesity and type 2 diabetes. Because it’s a tablet, not an injection, and doesn’t need refrigeration, expectations are high that more people will start taking it. But the big question for patients and prescribers is simple, what will it cost?

Written by Jack Griffiths Reviewed by Dr Mark Larkin, PhD

5 min read

3 references

Orforglipron tablet bottle – Eli Lilly oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug

Key takeaways

  • We suspect UK costs are likely to start slightly higher than current private weight loss injection prices.
  • Our official prediction is that orforglipron will be priced at around £200/month on low dose, rising to roughly £280/month mid dose, and £350/month at the top.
  • No official price yet and any “orforglipron for sale” listing today is not legitimate.
  • US launch list price will probably start similar to other GLP-1s, then come down over time as competition and discounts kick in.

Will Orforglipron be cheaper than Mounjaro or Wegovy?

With weight loss injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy, prices are high because supply is tight, manufacturing is complex. A small tablet like orforglipron could be produced at scale more easily, shipped without cold storage, and prescribed by clinicians who’ve been reluctant to start patients on injections. If Lilly wants orforglipron to reach a much bigger population, pricing will obviously be a massive consideration, but even with those advantages it won’t necessarily mean orforglipron costs less.

Will there be different tablet dosages of orforglipron?

Yes, almost certainly. Phase 3 obesity trials already test multiple daily doses (6mg, 12mg, 36mg), and earlier studies included even lower stepping doses. The pattern matches how Mounjaro and Wegovy are used now, you start on a low dose and gradually increase it over time. So if/when orforglipron launches, expect a dose ladder rather than a single single strength pill. In practice that means pricing by dose, just like injectables with lower monthly costs for starter packs, and higher costs as you move up.

But aren’t those dose levels different from Wegovy and Mounjaro?

Yes, the dose numbers are different, and that’s normal. Orforglipron is a different molecule and it’s taken daily as a tablet, while Wegovy and Mounjaro are weekly injections, so the milligram strengths won’t match up. You can’t compare ‘mg vs mg’ across these drugs because potency, absorption, and dosing schedule are totally different. And the same logic applies to price, you won’t necessarily get a cheaper or more expensive drug just because the mg figure is higher or lower.

Expected US list price will land close to today’s weight loss injections

In the US, early orforglipron pricing is likely to sit in the same bracket as Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. Even though orforglipron is a pill, we expect Lilly will price it off outcomes, and the clinical results so far put it in direct competition with the market leaders. A launch list price in the high hundreds per month fits how GLP-1s are currently positioned in the US.

Why are weight loss injections more expensive in the US?

In the US, list prices are higher because the system runs through insurance rebates. Most patients are covered by private insurance or employer plans, so they rarely pay the headline price. When someone can’t get insurance coverage, the drug companies offer separate deals normally through partner pharmacies. Those prices are often lower than the list price, and they’ve been falling as Lilly (Mounjaro/Zepbound) and Novo (Wegovy/Ozempic) fight it out.

The UK works differently. If you qualify on the NHS, your cost is minimal. If you don’t, you pay privately, and that private price tends to be lower than the US anyway, even when clinics add prescribing and support. So when you hear about dramatic US price cuts, take them as a sign of competition heating up, not a UK price guide. For orforglipron, the US will likely launch with a high headline price, then reduce over time. In the UK, it will no doubt start in the private market first, then shift once NICE decides on NHS access and pricing.

So, how much will Orforglipron cost in the UK?

Given Lily has just increased UK Mounjaro prices, and orforglipron will be positioned as a premium GLP-1 tablet, it’s unlikely to launch as a cheap option. We’re expecting orforglipron to start at the upper end of current private Mounjaro and Wegovy prices. A realistic UK orforglipron opening price could be something like:

  • Starter dose c. £200 per month
  • Mid dose c. £280 per month
  • Top dose c. £350 per month

Will orforglipron side effects be any different because it’s a daily pill?

Orforglipron works on the same GLP-1 pathway as injections, so the usual gut side effects can still show up. The difference is the pattern. With weekly jabs, people who complain of side effects often feel a bigger hit in the first day or two after each injection, then it eases. A daily tablet may smooth those peaks, meaning side effects could feel milder but more constant, especially while someone is stepping up doses.

As soon as real UK orforglipron prices are announced, we’ll compare every pharmacy and every dose in one place, so you can see who’s charging what, and who’s cheapest.

Pharmacy Price Hound exists for one reason: to stop patients overpaying on prescription drugs. We compare drug prices in one clear view, dose by dose, so you can instantly spot who’s fair and who isn’t. When pharmacy prices are easy to compare, providers have to compete, and that’s what drives costs down for everyone.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. Patients should always consult a licensed prescriber before starting, stopping, or switching medication.

References

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