What is Foundayo (orforglipron), and how is it used in the UAE?
The daily weight-loss tablet the UAE approved in April 2026: what it is, who it is approved for, the dose steps, trial results, cover in Abu Dhabi and the side effects.
Written for the United Arab Emirates.
Foundayo is orforglipron, a once-daily GLP‑1 tablet for weight made by Lilly. The UAE approved it in April 2026, the second country after the US. Unlike the Wegovy pill, it can be taken at any time, with no food or water rules. Doses rise from 0.8 mg to 17.2 mg, and a month costs AED 773 to AED 1,599.
Key takeaways
- The Emirates Drug Establishment approved Foundayo (orforglipron) in early April 2026, making the UAE the second country after the US.1
- The UK label says Foundayo is taken once a day at any time, “without food or water restriction”, unlike the semaglutide tablets.2
- Foundayo’s dose starts at 0.8 mg a day and can rise every 30 days or more, through 2.5, 5.5, 9 and 14.5 mg to 17.2 mg.2,3
- In the ATTAIN-1 trial, the top dose gave 12.4% average weight loss over 72 weeks, against 0.9% on dummy capsules, but stomach side effects reached 69 in 100.2
- Abu Dhabi’s health department said in April 2026 that Foundayo is covered for adults eligible for its Personalised Weight Management Programme.4
On this page
What is Foundayo?
Foundayo is the brand name of orforglipron, a daily tablet that acts like the gut hormone GLP‑1. It is made by Lilly, the maker of Mounjaro, but it is a different medicine.1,4
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the UAE and should be used only under medical supervision.5
- The UAE label is not published online. Label facts here come from the UK label for Foundayo, which we say each time.
- We name brands only to say what is approved and at what fixed price. We don’t recommend one, and we don’t name sellers or clinics.
- Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
How it works. Orforglipron copies the effects of GLP‑1, a hormone released after eating, helping to regulate appetite and how much you eat, Abu Dhabi’s health department says.4 Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a weekly injection; there is no Mounjaro tablet.
Approval. The UAE’s drug regulator, the Emirates Drug Establishment, authorised it in the first week of April 2026. The US Food and Drug Administration had approved it on 1 April.1 Khaleej Times reported it was expected in UAE pharmacies from May 2026.6
Who is Foundayo approved for in the UAE?
Adults with obesity, or adults who are overweight with at least one weight-related condition. On the UK label that means a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to 29.9 with a condition such as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.2,4
- UAE doctors’ view. Doctors told Khaleej Times it would be prescribed for a BMI of 30 or more, or above 27 with a related condition, after medical tests.6
- Abu Dhabi is stricter. Its obesity standard starts GLP‑1 medicines at a BMI of 30 with a weight-related condition, or over 40.7
- Not for children. The UK label says safety and benefit below 18 have not been established.2
Before starting, UAE doctors described checking weight and BMI, blood sugar, cholesterol, and liver, kidney and thyroid function.6 A doctor decides who it suits. Guide 4 covers who should not take GLP‑1 medicines.
What are the doses, and what do they cost?
Six strengths, from 0.8 mg to 17.2 mg a day, each taken for at least 30 days before stepping up. A month costs AED 773 to AED 1,599 at fixed prices.2,3,8
| Daily dose | 30 tablets, fixed price |
|---|---|
| 0.8 mgStarting dose, at least 30 days | AED 773 |
| 2.5 mg | AED 773 |
| 5.5 mg | AED 1,115 |
| 9 mg | AED 1,412 |
| 14.5 mg | AED 1,599 |
| 17.2 mgHighest dose | AED 1,599 |
Dose steps from Daman’s table and the UK label. Price to the public on Abu Dhabi’s official drug list, effective 2 Oct 2026, checked 12 Oct 2026.2,3,8
Not everyone goes to the top dose: after 5.5 mg, the UK label says the dose “may be increased”.2 The trials used capsules with different numbers on them. The 36 mg trial capsule equals the 17.2 mg tablet.2
How is Foundayo taken?
One tablet a day, at any time, with or without food or water. Swallow it whole, without breaking, crushing or chewing it, the UK label says.2
- Missed a dose? Restart as soon as possible, and never take more than one tablet a day.2
- Storage. No special temperature is needed. Keep the tablets in the original pack, because they are sensitive to light.2
- The contraceptive pill. Foundayo may make the pill less reliable. The UK label advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method such as condoms, for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase.2
- Pregnancy. Not to be used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding; stop at least 3 weeks before a planned pregnancy.2
The lack of food rules matters in Ramadan; our Ramadan post compares the tablets.
Builds a printable list for your appointment, including your medicines and plans. No sign-up.
How much weight did people lose in the trials?
In ATTAIN-1, people on the highest dose lost 12.4% of their weight over 72 weeks on average. People on dummy capsules lost 0.9%.2
Everyone in the trial had the same diet and activity advice. People were split at random, and the dummy group took capsules that looked the same, so the gap between groups is what the medicine added.2
3,127 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition. Average BMI 37. 72 weeks. From the UK label; trial doses were capsules.
Average weight lost, as % of body weight. For a 100 kg (220 lb) person on the top dose, about 12 kg (27 lb) against 1 kg (2 lb).
ATTAIN-1, Table 3 of the UK label: 723, 725 and 730 people on the three doses, 949 on dummy capsules.2
On the top dose, 77 in 100 people lost at least 5% of their weight, against 22 in 100 on dummy capsules.2 Put the other way, about 23 in 100 on the top dose did not reach 5%.
Compared with other medicines. The Wegovy pill and the injections were tested in separate trials, with different people and lengths, so the numbers can’t be compared directly. Our UAE comparison sets them side by side with that caveat, and our Wegovy pill post covers the other tablet.
Does any UAE programme pay for Foundayo?
In Abu Dhabi, yes, for some people. The health department said in April 2026 that Foundayo is covered for adults eligible for its Personalised Weight Management Programme.4
That programme is run with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and combines treatment, behaviour support and digital monitoring. It started through one specialist centre.4 Daman’s table lists Foundayo for obesity management, but Daman covers obesity GLP‑1s only for members of the Thiqa obesity programme.3 Outside these, most people pay the fixed price themselves; our insurance post explains.
What are the side effects?
Mostly stomach effects, highest while the dose is going up. In the weight trials, 60 to 69 in 100 people on orforglipron had stomach side effects, against 36 in 100 on dummy capsules.2
- Which ones: nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach pain are listed as very common, more than 1 in 10 people.2
- Stopping because of them: 4 to 7 in 100 people on orforglipron, against fewer than 1 in 100 on dummy capsules.2
- Severity: mostly mild (62%) or moderate (34%).2
- Pancreatitis has been reported with orforglipron. The UK label notes severe and fatal cases with GLP‑1 medicines; the sign is persistent, severe stomach pain.2
- Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhoea can harm the kidneys.2
- Gallstones are listed among Foundayo’s side effects on the UK label.2
- Low blood sugar is more likely with insulin or a sulfonylurea.2
Questions people ask
What is Foundayo?
Foundayo is orforglipron, a once-daily GLP‑1 tablet for weight made by Lilly. The UAE approved it in April 2026.1
Is Foundayo available in the UAE?
Yes, on prescription. It was approved in April 2026 and expected in pharmacies from May 2026. Abu Dhabi’s official drug list, effective 2 October 2026, lists every strength with a public price.1,6,8
How much is Foundayo in the UAE?
AED 773 for 30 tablets at 0.8 or 2.5 mg, rising to AED 1,599 at 14.5 or 17.2 mg, at fixed prices.8
Is Foundayo a Mounjaro pill?
No. Both are made by Lilly, but Foundayo is orforglipron and Mounjaro is tirzepatide, a weekly injection.1
Can Foundayo be taken with food?
Yes. The UK label says it can be taken at any time of day, without food or water restriction.2
How we researched this
On 12 October 2026 we read the UK label (SmPC) for Foundayo, the UAE approval reports, Abu Dhabi’s health department announcement, Daman’s GLP‑1 table and Abu Dhabi’s obesity standard, and checked the price of each strength on Abu Dhabi’s official drug list (effective 2 October 2026).
The UAE label is not published online, so we used the UK label and said so. The exact approval date is reported only as “this week” in early April, so we don’t give a day. We did not name the centre offering it in Abu Dhabi, or any clinic.
Before you move on
- Foundayo is orforglipron, a different medicine from Mounjaro and semaglutide.
- One tablet a day, any time, no food or water rules.
- Doses step up from 0.8 mg, at least 30 days at a time.
- If you use the contraceptive pill, ask about a barrier method after starting and after each dose rise.
More from the UAE blog
The monthly UAE update
An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: approvals, price changes, insurance rules and safety alerts in the UAE. How we write
Sources
- The National. UAE-approved daily weight loss pill to be made available next month (orforglipron, sold as Foundayo, authorised by the Emirates Drug Establishment; the UAE "only the second country in the world to approve" it, after FDA approval on 1 April; "taken once a day without food or water"). 4 April 2026, updated 9 April 2026. thenationalnews.com
- Eli Lilly. Foundayo (orforglipron) film-coated tablets: UK summary of product characteristics (SmPC), electronic Medicines Compendium, last updated 14 August 2026, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.8, 5.1 (ATTAIN-1, Table 3) and 6.4. UK label: the UAE label is not published online. emc
- Daman (National Health Insurance Company). Adjudication guideline: Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonist, ref. 2021-PH-09, version 5, effective 15 January 2023, revised 19 April 2026. Sections 2 (applies to "all health insurance plans administered by Daman"), 3.1.1 (type 2 diabetes initiation, duration and 12-month reassessment), 3.1.2 (obesity), 3.2 (eligible specialties), 3.3 (non-coverage), Table 1 (brands, uses, doses, 1 box a month) and section 4 (denial codes). PDF
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi expands access to innovative daily oral obesity treatment (Foundayo added to the Personalised Weight Management Programme run with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre; "covered for adults eligible for the Personalised Weight Management Programme"; first offered through one specialist centre). 24 April 2026. doh.gov.ae
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 48/2026, 16 March 2026, relaying an Australian alert on fake GLP-1 products ("GLP-1 receptor agonists ... are prescription-only medicines and should only be used under medical supervision"; the products "are not registered with The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) but can be purchased online and through social media platforms"; report to the DoH Pharmacovigilance programme, [email protected]). Summarised, not reproduced. PDF
- Khaleej Times. New obesity pill approved in UAE: who can get it, availability, prescription explained (doctors describe BMI 30 or more, or above 27 with a related condition; expected from May 2026). 17 April 2026. khaleejtimes.com
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity, DOH/ST/HPS/Non-Surgical-MO/V1/2025, February 2025, sections 3.4.2 (GLP-1 starting and stopping criteria; "The obesity certified physician determines the initiation time of pharmacological treatment") and 4.1 (physician "who has training in obesity management and certification approved by DoH"). PDF
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Shafafiya drug list (Drugs.xlsx), release 26 September 2026, effective 2 October 2026: “Package Price to Public” in AED, and dispense mode “POM” (prescription-only medicine), for Foundayo 0.8 and 2.5 mg (AED 773), 5.5 mg (1,115), 9 mg (1,412), 14.5 and 17.2 mg (1,599), 30 tablets each, all listed as active. Downloaded and checked against this page on 12 October 2026. The official list, not a seller. XLSX
- Department of Digital Ajman. Handling emergencies ("999 for Police", "998 for Ambulance", "997 for Fire Department (Civil Defence)"). Checked 12 October 2026. ajman.ae
Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write