Results from study pave the way for tablet weight loss medication
A global study investigating the safety and effectiveness of a new tablet form of weight loss medication has found it resulted in meaningful weight loss.
The study which was published in The Lancet on 8th Jun 2026, found that elecoglipron, a daily administered small molecule Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1 RA), resulted in meaningful weight loss after nine months.
The global lead for the trial, Professor of Diabetes Medicine Melanie Davies, also presented the findings at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual conference on 8th June 2026.
Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre and Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC): Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, Professor Davies said:
“Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) such as semaglutide have transformed the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes in recent years, producing clinically meaningful weight loss and improvements in glucose control, as well as cardiometabolic risk.
“Despite its effectiveness we know that some patients struggle to take this injectable medicine. It also requires cold chain transport and storage which drives up cost, and can be unpractical for many patients living across the world on a day to day basis.
“As a result there has been a drive to test medicines that work in a similar way, but are not peptide based. Such non-peptide medicines are taken orally, are very small and fasting isn’t required before and after taking.”
Professor Davies led the VISTA phase 2 trial which evaluated elecoglipron, a novel oral non-peptide small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist.
Mimicking the human hormone, elecoglipron works by activating protein signalling, suppressing glucagon secretion, delaying gastric emptying and reducing appetite and food intake.
In this study, 310 adults from seven countries including Australia, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and the UK living with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes were given the medication as a tablet form across a broad dose range (from 5 to 75 mg).
Participants were aged 18 years or older living with obesity (a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or above) or with overweight (BMI 27 kg/m2) with at least one weight-related condition and without diabetes.
Professor Davies continued:
“At the highest dose of 75mg, average weight loss in our participants reached 10.5% at 26 weeks and increased further to 11.8% at 36 weeks demonstrating sustained weight reduction without a plateau yet being reached.
“In addition to the positive weight loss findings, we also observed improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors such as blood pressure. The trial also gave us important insights into tolerability of the medicine, and the need for gradual increases in dose.”
The safety profile of elecoglipron was consistent with findings from other trials within the GLP-1 RA class in phase 2, with adverse effects including nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, headache, and vomiting.
Professor Davies concluded: “Our findings suggest that elecoglipron, taken as a tablet, has the potential to become a viable alternative weight loss medication for patients.”
If you would like to read the full papers in the Lancet please visit: Elecoglipron, an oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist in adults with obesity or overweight (VISTA): a multicentre, phase 2, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial – The Lancet and Elecoglipron, an oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist in adults with type 2 diabetes (SOLSTICE): a multicentre, phase 2b, randomised, placebo-controlled trial – The Lancet
Professor Melanie Davies.
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