Eli Lilly May Launch Oral Obesity Drug Foundayo In India In 2027: CEO David Ricks
Eli Lilly could launch its oral obesity drug Foundayo in India as early as 2027, subject to regulatory approval, CEO David Ricks said. The company is expanding Indian manufacturing partnerships and investing $1 billion in the country, while competition in the obesity-drug market is intensifying with newer treatments
Eli Lilly is preparing to introduce its oral obesity treatment Foundayo in India, with 2027 emerging as a possible launch year if the drug receives regulatory clearance, the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Ricks was quoted as saying by CNBC-TV18.
“We’re ready to go as soon as the Indian authorities say yes,” Ricks said, adding that Indian manufacturing partners are already contributing to global supplies of the medicine.
Ricks said Lilly has been working to reduce the time between launching medicines internationally and introducing them in India.
The company previously took as long as four years to bring new products to the Indian market, but is now aiming to reduce that gap to around one year.
Foundayo, the brand name for orforglipron, is a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist. The US Food and Drug Administration approved it in April 2026 for long-term weight management in adults with obesity or overweight accompanied by at least one weight-related condition.
Lilly has also evaluated orforglipron as a treatment for type-2 diabetes. The company reported phase-three trial results in June and said it planned to seek US approval for that use.
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India manufacturing investment
Ricks said the oral formulation offers manufacturing advantages because its production relies on chemical synthesis, allowing capacity to be expanded more quickly. He also highlighted the convenience of a tablet for patients who may prefer to avoid injections.
Lilly is implementing a $1 billion investment commitment in India through contract manufacturing arrangements and technical capabilities.
The company is working with Indian partners to expand production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished medicines.
The proposed Foundayo launch would follow Lilly’s introduction of Mounjaro in India in March 2025. The company later introduced the Mounjaro KwikPen for adults with type-2 diabetes and obesity.
Competition is also increasing. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories launched its generic semaglutide brand Obeda in March 2026 after patent expiry. The company said the medicine was approved for type-2 diabetes and priced at ₹4,200 a month.
Meanwhile, Lilly’s Hyderabad technology centre has expanded to more than 600 engineers working on artificial intelligence and software.
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