Eli Lilly reports weight-loss pill results across menopause stages from ATTAIN analysis

Eli Lilly and Company said its once-daily oral weight-loss drug Foundayo (orforglipron) produced substantial weight reduction in women across menopausal stages, including perimenopause and post-menopause, based on new post-hoc analyses from its Phase 3 ATTAIN program.

The findings, presented at the American Diabetes Association 86th Scientific Sessions, draw from more than 1,500 female participants pooled across ATTAIN-1 and ATTAIN-2. ATTAIN-1 tested the drug as monotherapy in adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes, while ATTAIN-2 studied adults with obesity or overweight who had type 2 diabetes.

In ATTAIN-1, women in perimenopause who received the highest dose of Foundayo lost up to 30.4 pounds (14.4%). Women in post-menopause lost up to 28.2 pounds (14.1%). Across these groups, Lilly said a higher share of participants also achieved clinically meaningful weight loss, including up to 51.5% of women in perimenopause reaching at least 15% weight loss at the highest dose. Lilly also reported reductions in waist circumference, a common proxy for abdominal fat and cardiometabolic risk, with decreases of up to 4.9 inches (12.5 cm) at 72 weeks in ATTAIN-1.

In ATTAIN-2, which included participants living with type 2 diabetes, Lilly reported weight loss across menopause stages as well. Women taking Foundayo at the highest dose lost up to 23.4 pounds (11.3%) in pre-menopause, up to 18.5 pounds (8.9%) in perimenopause, and up to 27.8 pounds (13.6%) in post-menopause. Lilly said up to 44.2% of women in ATTAIN-2 reached at least 15% weight loss at the highest dose.

Lilly framed the results around menopause as a “major, yet often overlooked” driver of weight gain, pointing to hormonal changes that can increase fat accumulation, particularly around the abdomen, and make weight loss harder to achieve and sustain. Rachel Batterham, Lilly’s senior vice president of medical innovation and external engagement, said the data show Foundayo was associated with meaningful weight loss “in women at every stage of menopause,” and suggested the results could help patients who experience weight becoming more difficult to manage during midlife.

Foundayo is an FDA-approved medication for adults with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems, to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight loss long term, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. In its announcement, Lilly described Foundayo (orforglipron) as a once-daily oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist that can be taken any time of day without restrictions on food or water intake.

Still, the company emphasized these are post-hoc analyses, meaning they were conducted after the original studies were completed to explore how outcomes varied by menopause status, rather than serving as a pre-specified primary endpoint. Lilly did not disclose, in the announcement, detailed safety and tolerability results broken out by menopausal stage, nor did it specify whether these subgroup findings were powered or statistically adjusted for multiple comparisons. The company also did not provide guidance on how clinicians should use menopause staging to tailor dosing or expectations.

Next for the program, investors and clinicians will likely look for fuller subgroup reporting in peer-reviewed publication, including additional detail on durability of weight loss, changes in cardiometabolic measures beyond waist circumference, and safety outcomes by menopausal status. For Lilly, the goal is to strengthen evidence that its oral incretin-based approach can deliver consistent weight-management benefits in a patient population that is often underrepresented in obesity trials.