Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (LLY) has achieved a significant milestone as its new weight-loss pill has been approved for commercial sales by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The approval opens a lucrative new market for Eli Lilly, whose once-daily weight-loss pill called “Foundayo” is expected to be a global bestseller and generate billions of dollars in annual sales.
Eli Lilly’s current weight-loss medication Zepbound is taken by injection. The pill version is expected to be much more palatable to consumers.
The weight-loss pill will be available for purchase on April 6 from Eli Lilly’s direct-to-consumer platform called “LillyDirect.”
By mid-April, the pill will be widely available at pharmacies and on telehealth platforms across the U.S.
People with insurance coverage will pay about $25 U.S. a month for the new weight-loss drug. People without coverage will pay $149 U.S. to $349 U.S., depending on the dosage.
Eli Lilly’s weight-loss pill hits the market about three months after rival Novo Nordisk (NVO) launched commercial sales of its own obesity pill based on its bestselling Wegovy medication.
However, Eli Lilly has been preparing for the greenlight from the FDA. The company expects approval for Foundayo in more than 40 countries worldwide over the next year.
Since 2020, Eli Lilly has invested about $55 billion U.S. in manufacturing, which includes opening new sites and expanding existing plants to produce its new weight-loss pill.
Wall Street analysts estimate Foundayo sales will reach $14.79 billion U.S. a year by 2030, according to data from FactSet (FDS).
LLY stock has declined 12% in 2026 to trade at $954.52 U.S. per share.
