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Foundayo vs the Wegovy pill: the UK's two daily weight-loss tablets
About this page. Written by the GLPInfo editorial team with AI assistance from the official sources listed at the end, and approved by the site owner before publication. It has not been reviewed by a named clinician. Published 27 Aug 2026 · last updated 27 Aug 2026 · next scheduled review 27 Nov 2026.
This page is information, not medical advice. It never tells you which medicine, dose or format is right for you: those decisions sit with you and a qualified prescriber. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.
Since August 2026 the UK has two licensed daily weight-loss tablets: oral semaglutide (the Wegovy pill, licensed June 2026) and orforglipron (Foundayo, licensed 10 August 2026). They reach the same hormone pathway by very different chemistry, and the differences are practical, not just technical.
The essentials, side by side
| Foundayo | Wegovy pill | |
|---|---|---|
| Active medicine | Orforglipron, small-molecule GLP-1 agonist | Oral semaglutide, peptide GLP-1 agonist |
| Food and water rules | None: any time of day, with or without food | Fasted, sip of water, nothing for 30+ minutes after |
| Doses | 0.8 / 2.5 / 5.5 / 9 / 14.5 / 17.2mg, 30-tablet packs | 1.5 / 4 / 9 / 25mg, 28-day packs |
| Key trial result | ATTAIN-1: 12.4% average at 72 weeks (completers, highest dose) | OASIS 4: about 14% average over 64 weeks of treatment (25mg) |
| UK licence | MHRA, 10 August 2026 | MHRA, 11 June 2026 |
Different trials, populations and durations: the figures cannot be compared directly and no head-to-head has been published.
What the difference means in practice
If the numbers look close, the routines are not. The Wegovy pill's fasting rules make it a first-thing-in-the-morning commitment with a 30-minute wait before coffee or breakfast, every day; absorbed poorly if the rules slip. Foundayo fits around any routine. Against that, oral semaglutide's OASIS 4 average edges higher and semaglutide has years of real-world use behind the molecule in its injectable form. Which trade matters more is individual, and the prescriber's assessment of your history sits above all of it.
What each costs today
| Foundayo | Wegovy pill | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest first month, starting dose (0.8mg / 1.5mg) | £49 | £49 |
| Lowest ongoing month, starting dose | £49 | £59.99 |
| Lowest ongoing month, highest dose (17.2mg / 25mg) | £142 | £88.97 |
| Full comparison | Foundayo prices | Wegovy pill prices |
Lowest published price across the providers we list, not whole-of-market. First-order prices carry conditions on each provider page; the ongoing price is the cost of staying on treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Which tablet works better?
No head-to-head trial exists. In separate trials, oral semaglutide 25mg averaged about 14% weight reduction over 64 weeks of treatment (OASIS 4), and orforglipron's highest dose averaged 12.4% among completers over 72 weeks (ATTAIN-1). Different trials, different durations, different analyses: treat any direct ranking sceptically, including ours not making one.
Do both tablets have food rules?
No, and this is the biggest practical difference. The Wegovy pill must be taken on an empty stomach with a sip of water and nothing else for at least 30 minutes, because semaglutide is a peptide the stomach degrades. Foundayo is a small molecule and has no food or water restrictions at all.
Which tablet is cheaper?
It moves as providers change prices; the table above renders live from our 12-hourly checks. Compare the ongoing price at a realistic maintenance dose rather than the first-month offer.
Sources
- ATTAIN-1 trial, orforglipron for obesity, New England Journal of Medicine (2025)
- OASIS 4 trial, oral semaglutide 25 mg for overweight and obesity, New England Journal of Medicine (2025)
- Foundayo and Wegovy patient information, electronic medicines compendium (emc)
- MHRA, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency