What Is Next for Weight-Loss Injections? New GLP-1 Medicines on the Horizon
In this expert update, Professor Gerard Conway, senior Consultant Endocrinologist and Medical Director of London Lauriston Clinic, looks at the next generation of medicines for weight management and how the treatment landscape is changing.
Developments in weight management have accelerated rapidly in recent years. Wegovy and Mounjaro remain among the main licensed injectable treatments used for weight management in the UK, while newer GLP-1 medicines are either becoming available or progressing through clinical trials.
Some are designed to improve convenience by replacing injections with tablets. Others target two or even three hormone receptors in an attempt to improve weight loss and metabolic outcomes.
Here are some of the main developments to watch.
New and Emerging Medicines for Weight Management
Several new medicines are broadening the options for medical weight management, from newly authorised oral GLP-1 treatment to dual and triple agonists still progressing through clinical trials.
Orforglipron (Foundayo)
Orforglipron (marketed as Foundayo by Eli Lilly) is a newly authorised, once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist. It was authorised by the MHRA in the UK in August 2026 for both type 2 diabetes and weight management.
Unlike peptide-based GLP-1 medicines, orforglipron is a small-molecule treatment. It can be taken once daily, at any time of day, with or without food and without water restrictions.
Treatment is increased gradually:
- 0.8 mg once daily to start
- 2.5 mg after at least 30 days
- then 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg and 17.2 mg, if needed, with at least 30 days at each dose before increasing further
The maximum dose is 17.2 mg once daily, although the dose does not need to be increased to the maximum if an effective and well-tolerated dose is reached earlier.
For patients who would prefer a tablet to a regular injection, this provides an important new option for medical weight management.
Retatrutide
Retatrutide, developed by Eli Lilly, is a so-called triple agonist, targeting GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors at the same time.
Phase 3 clinical trials have produced some of the highest average weight-loss figures reported so far for medicines in this field. In the TRIUMPH-1 trial, participants receiving the highest dose lost an average of 28.3% of their body weight over 80 weeks.
Retatrutide remains investigational and is not yet licensed for weight management in the UK. Eli Lilly is continuing its Phase 3 development programme, with regulatory submissions planned following completion of the required trials.
CagriSema
CagriSema, developed by Novo Nordisk, combines semaglutide, the GLP-1 receptor agonist used in Wegovy, with cagrilintide, a long-acting amylin analogue.
The aim is to combine two different pathways involved in appetite and satiety in order to improve weight-loss outcomes beyond those achieved with semaglutide alone.
CagriSema was submitted to the US FDA in December 2025 for weight management and is awaiting a regulatory decision. It is not currently licensed in the UK.
Survodutide
Survodutide, developed by Boehringer Ingelheim in collaboration with Zealand Pharma, is a dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist.
It is currently being studied in a global Phase 3 programme for people living with obesity or overweight, including people with and without type 2 diabetes.
Survodutide is also being investigated for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). It has received US FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for MASH with moderate or advanced liver fibrosis, although this designation is not an approval and does not apply specifically to obesity treatment.
Survodutide remains investigational, with no confirmed timetable for UK availability.
Mazdutide
Mazdutide, developed by Innovent Biologics under an agreement with Eli Lilly, is another dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist.
It was approved in China in June 2025 for long-term weight management in adults with obesity or overweight, making it the first approved dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist.
Mazdutide is not currently authorised in the UK or US, and there is no confirmed timetable for UK regulatory approval.
What Do These New Treatments Mean for Weight Management?
The direction of travel is clear. Some new medicines are focused on greater convenience, particularly through oral treatment. Others are targeting multiple hormone pathways in an attempt to produce greater weight loss or broader metabolic benefits.
However, higher weight-loss figures in clinical trials do not automatically mean that a medicine will be the best option for every patient. Treatment still needs to take into account medical history, other health conditions, side effects, individual response and long-term tolerability.
Several of these medicines remain investigational, and regulatory approval does not necessarily mean that a treatment will immediately become widely available in the UK.
Specialist Advice on Weight Management
As the range of weight-management medicines expands, choosing the most appropriate treatment is likely to become increasingly individualised.
Professor Gerard Conway is a Consultant Endocrinologist and Medical Director of London Lauriston Clinic, with extensive experience in metabolic health and medical weight management.
If you are considering medical treatment for weight management, a specialist assessment can help determine which available options may be appropriate for you.
To arrange a consultation at London Lauriston Clinic, call 020 4511 0444 or email info@llclinics.co.uk.
