Every weight-loss figure is the average percent body-weight reduction reported in the cited trial, not a promise for any individual. Dates marked estimated are guidance, not confirmed approvals.
At a glance
| Drug | Maker | Route | Phase | Top-dose weight loss | Estimated timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retatrutide | Eli Lilly | Weekly injection | Phase 3 | 28.3% at 80 wks; 30.3% at 104 wks | NDA est. Q4 2026; approval est. 2027-2028 |
| Orforglipron (Foundayo) | Eli Lilly | Daily pill | Approved, launching | 12.4% (ATTAIN-1) | Approved April 2026 |
| CagriSema | Novo Nordisk | Weekly injection | Phase 3, in review | 20.4% (REDEFINE 1) | Decision est. late 2026 |
| Survodutide | Boehringer Ingelheim / Zealand | Weekly injection | Phase 3 | 16.6% (SYNCHRONIZE-1) | Submission TBD; est. 2027+ |
| Amycretin | Novo Nordisk | Weekly injection and daily pill | Phase 3 | 24.3% injectable (phase 1b/2a) | Phase 3 to ~2029; approval later |
| MariTide | Amgen | Monthly injection | Phase 3 | ~20% (phase 2) | Approval est. 2027-2028 |
| Elecoglipron | AstraZeneca | Daily pill | Phase 2, to phase 3 | Not yet disclosed | Phase 3 starts 2026; est. years out |
| Danuglipron (discontinued) | Pfizer | Daily pill | Discontinued | n/a | Dropped April 2025 |
Retatrutide
Eli Lilly · Triple agonist (GIP/GLP-1/glucagon) · Weekly injection · Phase 3
The headline name in the pipeline. Retatrutide activates GIP and GLP-1 (the two hormones tirzepatide hits) and adds glucagon, which can raise the body's energy use. It is a once-weekly injection.
In the phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 trial, the 12 mg dose produced an average 28.3% (about 70 lb) body-weight reduction at 80 weeks, vs 2.2% on placebo. In a blinded extension, higher-BMI participants on 12 mg reached an average 30.3% at 104 weeks, the highest average any obesity drug has reported in phase 3. The application has not been filed yet; reporting points to an NDA in late 2026 and approval estimated in 2027 to 2028.
Sources: Lilly TRIUMPH-1 topline, AJMC
Orforglipron (Foundayo)
Eli Lilly · Oral GLP-1 (small molecule) · Daily pill · Approved, launching
The big shift here is the pill. Orforglipron is a GLP-1 built as a small chemical molecule rather than a peptide, so it works as a once-daily tablet taken any time of day, with no food or water restrictions (unlike oral semaglutide).
In the phase 3 ATTAIN-1 trial, published in NEJM, the 36 mg dose produced an average 12.4% (about 27 lb) body-weight reduction vs 0.9% on placebo, with about 60% of people on the top dose losing at least 10%. The weight loss is milder than the weekly injections, the expected trade-off for a daily pill. Unlike the rest of this list, orforglipron is no longer just in trials: it was approved in the United States as Foundayo on 1 April 2026 for chronic weight management and is now launching.
CagriSema
Novo Nordisk · Amylin (cagrilintide) + GLP-1 (semaglutide) · Weekly injection · Phase 3, in review
Novo's answer to tirzepatide: two drugs in one weekly injection. It combines semaglutide (the GLP-1 in Wegovy and Ozempic) with cagrilintide, which mimics amylin, a second appetite hormone.
In the phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial, the top dose produced an average 20.4% body-weight reduction at 68 weeks vs 3.0% on placebo. In a head-to-head trial it reached 23.0% among people who stayed on treatment, vs 25.5% for tirzepatide, and it did not meet its goal of matching tirzepatide, which tempered expectations. Novo submitted it for US review in December 2025; a decision is anticipated around late 2026.
Sources: Novo Nordisk REDEFINE, PharmExec (REDEFINE 4)
Survodutide
Boehringer Ingelheim / Zealand · Glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist · Weekly injection · Phase 3
A once-weekly injection that activates GLP-1 plus glucagon. The glucagon component nudges energy use and liver fat, so it is also being studied for liver disease, not just weight.
In the phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1 trial, the 6.0 mg dose produced an average 16.6% body-weight reduction over 76 weeks vs 3.2% on placebo, with 85% of treated participants losing at least 5%. The phase 3 readout came in April 2026; submission and approval timing are not confirmed, and any approval is estimated no earlier than 2027.
Amycretin
Novo Nordisk · GLP-1 + amylin (one molecule) · Weekly injection and daily pill · Phase 3
Novo's next-generation play: a single molecule that activates both GLP-1 and amylin (the two pathways CagriSema covers with two separate drugs), developed as both a weekly injection and a daily pill.
In an early phase 1b/2a study in The Lancet, the injectable produced an estimated 24.3% body-weight reduction at 36 weeks vs about 1% on placebo, and an early oral study showed about 13% at 12 weeks. These are small, early-phase numbers, so read them as promising signals rather than confirmed results. Phase 3 began enrolling in February 2026, with the primary readout registered around 2029 and approval well after.
Sources: The Lancet (phase 1b/2a), Novo Nordisk phase 3 advance
MariTide
Amgen · GLP-1 agonist + GIP antagonist · Monthly injection · Phase 3
MariTide takes an unusual approach: it activates GLP-1 but blocks GIP, the opposite of tirzepatide. It is built as a long-acting antibody-peptide conjugate, so it can be dosed monthly, with quarterly dosing also being studied. For people who dislike weekly shots, that cadence is the headline.
In its phase 2 study, published in NEJM, MariTide produced up to about 20% average weight loss at 52 weeks in people without type 2 diabetes, and weight loss had not plateaued. The phase 3 MARITIME program is enrolling; approval is estimated around 2027 to 2028.
Sources: Amgen phase 2 (ADA 2025), HCPLive
Elecoglipron
AstraZeneca · Oral GLP-1 (small molecule) · Daily pill · Phase 2, to phase 3
Another once-daily oral GLP-1 small molecule, in the same convenience category as orforglipron (in-licensed from Eccogene; AstraZeneca spells it elecoglipron). Both of its phase 2 trials met their primary endpoints, in obesity and in type 2 diabetes.
AstraZeneca has not released specific percent weight-loss figures yet and said detailed data would come at the American Diabetes Association meeting in June 2026. A full phase 3 program is slated to start in 2026, so approval is several years out.
Sources: Fierce Biotech, Clinical Trials Arena
Danuglipron (discontinued)
Pfizer · Oral GLP-1 · Daily pill · Discontinued
Not every candidate makes it. Danuglipron was Pfizer's oral GLP-1 pill. Pfizer discontinued the program in April 2025 after a case of drug-induced liver injury and liver-enzyme elevations, combined with regulatory feedback. The weight-loss data had been meaningful; the decision was about safety. It will not come to market.
Sources: Pfizer press release, STAT
Frequently asked
When will retatrutide be available?
Retatrutide is still in phase 3 trials and has not been submitted for approval yet. Reporting points to an application around late 2026, with a potential approval estimated in 2027 to 2028. It cannot be bought as an approved medicine today.
Is orforglipron a pill, and can I get it?
Yes, orforglipron is a once-daily GLP-1 pill, and unlike oral semaglutide it can be taken any time of day with no food or water restrictions. It is the one drug on this list that is no longer just in trials: it was approved in the United States as Foundayo in April 2026 and is rolling out, so availability depends on your prescriber and region.
How is CagriSema different from Wegovy?
Wegovy is semaglutide alone. CagriSema is semaglutide plus cagrilintide, an amylin analog, in one weekly injection to hit a second appetite pathway. In phase 3 it produced about 20% average weight loss, though it did not beat tirzepatide head-to-head. It is under regulatory review, not yet approved.
Which pipeline drug has the highest weight loss?
On reported trial numbers, retatrutide leads, with an average 28.3% at 80 weeks and 30.3% in a longer extension for higher-BMI participants. These are averages from clinical trials, individual results vary, and most of these drugs are still being tested rather than sold.
Do any come as a pill instead of an injection?
Yes. Orforglipron (approved) and elecoglipron (in trials) are once-daily oral GLP-1 pills, and amycretin is being developed in both a pill and an injection. Pills tend to show somewhat lower average weight loss than the strongest weekly injections, the trade-off for not having to inject.
What you can get today
While most of these are years out, the approved options are on the chart now. Compare the 25 US telehealth programs that prescribe semaglutide and tirzepatide, with prices checked every Monday. See the comparison chart or browse the approved medications.
