Orforglipron (Foundayo) / Guide
Foundayo dosage: dose steps, how to take it and missed doses
Foundayo is a once-daily GLP-1 tablet with six strengths. Each step lasts at least 30 days, and food doesn't matter.
[00] Short answer
- Foundayo (orforglipron) starts at 0.8 mg once a day. After at least 30 days it goes to 2.5 mg, then after at least 30 more days to 5.5 mg1.
- Higher steps are 9 mg, 14.5 mg and 17.2 mg, each after at least 30 days, "based on treatment response and tolerability". The maximum is 17.2 mg a day1.
- Take one tablet a day, with or without food, swallowed whole. Don't break, crush or chew it, and never take more than one a day1,3.
- Missed a dose: take it as soon as possible, and don't double up. In the US, after 7 or more missed doses in a row, the dose increases restart at a lower dose1.
- With a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor medicine, the maximum is 9 mg a day1,3.
What are the Foundayo dose steps?
Foundayo starts at 0.8 mg once a day, goes to 2.5 mg after at least 30 days and to 5.5 mg after at least 30 more. It can then go to 9 mg, 14.5 mg or 17.2 mg, with at least 30 days on each, up to a maximum of 17.2 mg a day1. Each strength is a different tablet.
| Daily dose | Earliest start (at least 30 days per step) | Tablet | On the label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 mg | Day 1 | Pink, round, "L" / "G1" | Starting dose |
| 2.5 mg | Day 31 | Light yellow, round, "L" / "G2" | Second step on the label |
| 5.5 mg | Day 61 | Grayish purple, round, "L" / "G3" | Third step on the label |
| 9 mg | Day 91 | Pink, modified oval, "Lilly" / "G4" | If needed. Maximum with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor |
| 14.5 mg | Day 121 | Light yellow, modified oval, "Lilly" / "G5" | If needed |
| 17.2 mg | Day 151 | Grayish purple, modified oval, "Lilly" / "G6" | Maximum |
"Earliest start" counts 30 days per step from day 1. The label says "at least", so a step can last longer. Tablet colors and imprints are from section 31.
The first two increases are written as standard steps. Going beyond 5.5 mg is optional: the label says the dose "may be increased" based on how well it works and how well you tolerate it1. The steps are there to lower the risk of stomach and gut side effects1, and the UK SmPC says nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were more common during the dose increases and eased over time3.
The UK steps are the same. The UK leaflet says your doctor will keep you on each dose for at least 30 days before going higher, and that you shouldn't change your dose unless your doctor has told you to4.
How do you take Foundayo?
Take one Foundayo tablet once a day, with or without food1. The UK SmPC says any time of day, "without food or water restriction"3. Swallow it whole.
| US prescribing information | UK SmPC and leaflet | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Once daily1 | Once daily3 |
| Food | With or without food1 | No food or water restriction3 |
| Time of day | Not stated | Any time of day3–4 |
| Swallowing | Whole. Don't break, crush or chew1 | Whole. Don't break, crush or chew3 |
| Limit | No more than one tablet a day1 | No more than one tablet a day, including to reach a higher dose3 |
| Pack | Bottles of 30 with a drying packet1 | Blister packs of 30 or 903 |
| Storage | 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F)1 | No special temperature. Keep in the original pack to protect from light3 |
The label found no clinically relevant effect of food on how much orforglipron gets into the blood1. That's the main difference from Wegovy tablets, which are taken on an empty stomach in the morning5. Our orforglipron overview compares the two.
What if you miss a dose of Foundayo?
The US label says to take a missed Foundayo dose as soon as possible and not to double up the next one. If 7 or more doses in a row are missed, the dose increases start again at a lower dose1.
- US prescribing information: "If a dose is missed, instruct patients to take the dose as soon as possible. Advise patients not to double up the next dose. If 7 or more consecutive doses are missed, reinitiate dosage escalation at a lower dosage to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions."1
- UK SmPC: "If a dose is missed, dosing should be resumed as soon as possible. More than one film-coated tablet should not be taken per day."3
- UK leaflet: "If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take more than one dose per day. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose."4
The UK SmPC has no 7-dose restart rule. Neither label names the restart dose after a long gap, so that's a question for your prescriber. More on long gaps across GLP-1 medicines is in our restarting after a break guide.
[Tool]Check a missed Foundayo doseUses the US label's ruleWhich medicines change the Foundayo dose?
Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors cap Foundayo at 9 mg a day1,3. These are medicines that slow the liver enzyme that breaks orforglipron down. The UK SmPC gives ketoconazole, clarithromycin and itraconazole as examples3.
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors: maximum 9 mg a day. The US label says to avoid those that also block OATP1B, such as ritonavir1.
- OATP1B inhibitors (UK): the UK SmPC also caps the dose at 9 mg with a clinical OATP1B inhibitor3.
- Strong CYP3A4 inducers: avoid them. With moderate inducers, the US label says to monitor how well Foundayo works and raise the dose as needed1.
- Birth control pills: Foundayo may make them work less well. Both labels say to switch to a non-oral method, or add a barrier method, for 30 days after starting and for 30 days after each dose increase1,3.
- Other GLP-1 medicines: the US label says using Foundayo with another GLP-1 receptor agonist isn't recommended1.
Why do Foundayo trial doses say 6 mg, 12 mg and 36 mg?
The trials used capsules, and the capsule doses aren't the same numbers as the tablets. The UK SmPC says they "are not substitutable on a mg-per-mg basis" and lists the matching doses3. The US label says its trial data came from the investigational form1.
| Foundayo tablet | Trial capsule with equal effect |
|---|---|
| 0.8 mg | 1 mg |
| 2.5 mg | 3 mg |
| 5.5 mg | 6 mg |
| 9 mg | 12 mg |
| 14.5 mg | 24 mg |
| 17.2 mg | 36 mg |
So when a paper reports results for "orforglipron 36 mg", that matches the 17.2 mg tablet3. Weight results from the trials are on our orforglipron page.
Where is Foundayo approved?
FDA approved Foundayo on April 1, 2026, for weight reduction and long-term weight maintenance in adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition2. The US label doesn't include type 2 diabetes1.
In the UK, the MHRA first authorised it on August 10, 2026. The UK licence covers weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition, and also type 2 diabetes in adults3.
Questions
What is the starting dose of Foundayo?
0.8 mg once a day. The US label says to move to 2.5 mg after at least 30 days, then to 5.5 mg after at least 30 more days.
What is the maximum dose of Foundayo?
17.2 mg once a day. If you also take a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, the maximum is 9 mg a day. The UK SmPC says not to take more than one tablet a day to reach a higher dose.
Do I have to take Foundayo on an empty stomach?
No. The US label says with or without food. The UK SmPC says any time of day, without food or water restriction.
Can I take two Foundayo tablets if I miss a day?
No. Both the US and UK labels say not to take more than one tablet a day, and not to double up to make up for a missed dose.
Can I stay on 5.5 mg of Foundayo?
The US label says the dose may be increased beyond 5.5 mg based on treatment response and tolerability, so the higher steps aren't automatic. Your prescriber decides with you.
Is 17.2 mg of Foundayo the same as 36 mg orforglipron in the trials?
Yes, in effect. The UK SmPC lists the 17.2 mg tablet as equal to the 36 mg trial capsule, and says tablets and capsules aren't swapped mg for mg.
Sources
Checked against the Foundayo US prescribing information (revised 07/2026), FDA's approval release (April 1, 2026), and the UK SmPC and patient leaflet (August 2026). How we check
- 1Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets: US prescribing information, Eli Lilly. sections 1, 2.1 to 2.3, 3, 7.1, 7.3, 12.3, 16 and 17, revised 07/2026
- 2FDA news release: FDA approves first new molecular entity under National Priority Voucher program (Foundayo). April 1, 2026
- 3Foundayo 0.8 mg film-coated tablets: UK Summary of Product Characteristics (emc). sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.8, 5.1 (Table 2), 6.4, 6.5 and 9, revised 10 Aug 2026
- 4Foundayo film-coated tablets: UK patient leaflet (emc). section 3, emc updated 12 Aug 2026
- 5Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets: US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk. section 2.1 (Wegovy tablets), revised 06/2026
This guide explains what labels and published studies say. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace your prescriber or pharmacist.
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Read next
- Orforglipron (Foundayo)Foundayo (orforglipron) is a once-daily GLP-1 pill, FDA-approved April 1, 2026. It starts at 0.8 mg and goes up to 17.2 mg a day, with or without food.
- Missed dose checkerTake it now or skip it, from your GLP-1 label's rule.
- Missed a GLP-1 dose? The rule for each medicineHow late is too late depends on your medicine. Each US label sets its own window, and a few UK rules differ.