Skip to content
Peptigraph home

Orforglipron vs Retatrutide: What the Research Shows

Orforglipron and Retatrutide side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
Oral small-molecule GLP-1 agonistFDA approved (Foundayo, Apr 2026)OrforglipronOral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist FDA-approved as Foundayo; in a large trial mean weight change at week 72 was -7.5% on 6 mg and -8.4% on 12 mg.[15]GLP-1 & metabolic+30% searchesGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonistInvestigational · phase 3RetatrutideInvestigational triple GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, not FDA-approved; a phase 3 TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% at the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo.[1]GLP-1 & metabolic+172% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider Orforglipron if…

  • you want an FDA-approved oral option: Foundayo (orforglipron) is labelled, with diet and activity, to reduce excess body weight in adults with obesity or with overweight plus a weight-related condition[7]
  • you want an oral option with randomized weight-loss data: Body weight changed by -7.5% (6 mg), -8.4% (12 mg) and -11.2% (36 mg) with orforglipron vs -2.1% with placebo at week 72.[15]
  • you are tested in sport and want to avoid a WADA-prohibited substance: Retatrutide is prohibited by WADA at all times (check orforglipron's own status separately)[6]

Consider Retatrutide if…

  • you are weighing an investigational option (no FDA-approved product yet): the TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% with the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo[1]
  • you want to know where approval stands: Lilly states it plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA, a submission plan and not an approval[16]
Retatrutide is not FDA approved. Retatrutide is prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 9 of 12 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, Evidence strength are the same or both unknown.

FieldOrforglipronRetatrutide
ClassOral small-molecule GLP-1 agonistGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonist
Also calledFoundayo, orforeta, GLP-3, LY3437943
FDA statusFDA approved (Foundayo, Apr 2026)Investigational · phase 3
WADANot on the WADA Prohibited ListGLP-1 and GIP agonists are not named anywhere on the 2026 list. This one is an approved medicine, so the catch-all S0 (which only covers drugs with no approval anywhere) does not apply to it.Prohibited by WADA (S0)Retatrutide is not named, and GLP-1/amylin class agonists are not listed. But it is an investigational drug with no approval in the sources we reviewed, and S0 prohibits drugs under clinical development that no authority has approved. If it is approved somewhere this would change.
Half-lifeapproximately 29 to 49 hoursoral · FDA label (Foundayo)approximately 6 dayssubcutaneous · Lancet 2022, PMID 36354040
Human studies we summarised14 human (13 randomized or controlled) of 15 summarised11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 16 summarised
Typical study doses
US searches per month27,100 · +30% searches823,000 · +172% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026Not in the letters we trackYes (24 Aug 2026; 31 Mar 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Sources

  1. 1Retatrutide phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 results publishedNEJM (PubMed 42814954) · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Eli Lilly sues six retatrutide sellersEli Lilly (press release) · 2026investor.lilly.comAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Orforglipron approved as FoundayoFDA · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5Seven FDA warning letters to online sellers of GLP-1 productsFDA warning letter (Gram Peptides; 1 of 7) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7These highlights do not include all the information needed to use FOUNDAYO safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for FOUNDAYO. FOUNDAYO (orforglipron) tablets, for oral use Initial FDA label (Foundayo), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (ATTAIN-2): a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2026PMID 41275875Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Efficacy and safety of once-daily oral orforglipron compared with oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes (ACHIEVE-3): a multinational, multicentre, non-inferiority, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2026PMID 41765029Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10Orforglipron compared with dapagliflozin in adults with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycaemic control with metformin (ACHIEVE-2): a multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority, open-label, phase 3 trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2026PMID 42259339Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11LY3437943, a novel triple GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptor agonist in people with type 2 diabetes: a phase 1b, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multiple-ascending dose trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2022PMID 36354040Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Retatrutide-Associated Improvements in Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers in Adults With Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026PMID 42608321Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Effects of retatrutide on body composition in people with type 2 diabetes: a substudy of a phase 2, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, randomised trial.The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology · 2025PMID 40609566Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14PubMed search: (orforglipron[tiab] OR LY3502970[tiab] OR Foundayo[tiab]) AND (retatrutide[tiab] OR LY3437943[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment.The New England journal of medicine · 2025PMID 40960239Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16Official web pageOfficial web page · web page

Found an error? Report a correction.