A new oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, orforglipron, helps patients maintain weight loss after discontinuing injectable therapies, according to findings from the ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial.
The study included 376 participants in the US who had been on injectable tirzepatide or semaglutide for at least a year and had lost weight. They were then switched to once-daily oral orforglipron or a placebo for 52 weeks.
Those who stopped tirzepatide and took orforglipron kept off 74.7% of their weight loss, compared to 49.2% in the placebo group, a treatment difference of about 25.5%.
Patients who stopped semaglutide and took orforglipron maintained 79.3% of their weight loss, versus 37.6% with placebo, a 41.7% difference.
Researchers emphasize that obesity medications should not be discontinued after initial weight loss, as stopping can lead to weight cycling and loss of cardiometabolic benefits. Oral orforglipron is currently available in the US and may soon be rolled out in the UK.