The first weight-loss pill is set to become available in the UK next year, raising hopes that tens of thousands of Britons will be able to drugs without the need for an injection.
Eli Lilly, which manufactures the Mounjaro weight loss drug, said a tablet version - known as Orforglipron - will be available in 2026, subject to regulatory approval, The Sunday Times reported.
The pill works by targeting the same 'GLP-1 receptors' as existing weight-loss jabs Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
As such, it manipulates the body's hormones to suppresses appetite and make users fill fuller for longer, slowing down digestion and controlling blood sugar levels.
The preliminary results of a major study last month found that Orforglipron was considerably less effective than Mounjaro (the injectable alternative) - but still effective.
The study found that the average patient lost 12.4 per cent of their body weight over 72 weeks using a daily 36mg orforglipron pill - with patients losing 27.2lbs, or 2 stone, in weight, on average.
Meanwhile, 40 per cent lost at least 15 per cent of their body weight, according to the results, published by Eli Lilly that are due to be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in mid September and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
By contrast, people using the weekly Mounjaro jab, lost 20 per cent of their weight of 72 weeks, on average.
Although the tablet is less effective, the pill is seen as a more approachable option than an injection once a week - with many people simply not wanting the drug at all, if it can only be administered with a jab.
The pill is also expected to be easier to make, store and transport, meaning it is likely to be considerably cheaper - although Eli Lilly is not giving anything away on the price at this stage.
Simon Cork, of Anglia Ruskin University notes that "The manufacturing costs are anticipated to be significantly lower than injectable drugs" - meaning they are likely to be cheaper to buy than jabs.
Meanwhile, Eli Lilly expects the pill would also be attractive to patients who had a body mass index of between 27 and 35 -- overweight to mildly obese -- who are not chasing the maximum weight loss offered by Mounjaro.
Weight loss drugs are not without their risks and the recent trial found that those posed by Orforglipron were "consistent" with Mounjaro and other existing GLP-1 injections.
The most commonly reported adverse events were gastrointestinal-related and generally mild-to-moderate in severity.
The most common adverse events for participants treated with orforglipron were nausea - with around one in five suffering with it and a similar number affected by diarrhea.
And around one in ten experienced vomiting, compared to 3.5 per cent with placebo.
With each side effect, those in higher doses are typically more likely to experience symptoms than those on low doses of the drug.