The weight loss medication market has exploded in recent years, with drugs like Wegovy helping thousands of people lose weight (1). But pharmaceutical companies aren’t stopping there. New medications are in development—some of which could be even more effective, while others offer alternatives for those who can’t or don’t want to use weight loss injections.
So, what’s on the horizon? Here’s a look at the most promising new weight loss drugs in 2025 and those that could become available in the UK over the next few years.
What is the new medicine for weight loss in 2025?
Mounjaro: The best weight loss injection yet
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a new generation weight loss injection approved in the UK by MHRA in November 2023 (2). This dual-action weight loss injection targets GLP-1 (like Wegovy) and GIP, another hormone involved in metabolism and appetite regulation (3).
In the SURMOUNT-5 trial, Mounjaro led to an average weight loss of 20.2%, compared to 13.7% with Wegovy (semaglutide) (4). That’s significantly better, making it the most powerful GLP-1 injection to date. You can already purchase a Mounjaro pen at private pharmacies. However, while already approved for weight loss, we’re still waiting for it to launch on the NHS.
The NICE granted approval for Mounjaro on the NHS in December 2024 but has given the NHS 12 years to roll out the new weight loss injection (5). The plan is to start offering Mounjaro to those with the highest need from March 2025. If everything goes to plan, it could be provided to others in June.
Elcella: The “natural” Ozempic
Elcella is an entirely different approach to weight loss. Unlike Mounjaro and Wegovy, this new weight loss medicine is not synthetic. Instead, it’s an all-natural weight loss pill made from specific nutrients found in food that suppress appetite using your natural hormones (6).
Researchers discovered that if specific nutrients make it to the colon, they trigger the release of GLP-1 and PYY. Both these hormones suppress appetite, helping people feel fuller, eat less, and lose weight over the long term. Trials found that people who took the Elcella twice daily ate 13% fewer calories with every meal (7).
As Elcella works using a natural process (rather than introducing synthetic chemicals into the body), no side effects have been seen in clinical trials (7). This new drug for weight loss is available in the UK as of February 2025 and will be rolling out worldwide by August.
What new weight loss drugs are being tested in 2025?
CagriSema: A novel combination therapy
CagriSema is an investigational combination therapy that pairs semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) with cagrilintide, a second hormone-mimicking drug that helps suppress appetite. It does this via a different pathway, boosting the effects of semaglutide (8).
This new weight loss drug is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials—the final phase before pharmaceutical companies can apply for approval. Results of the first stage of the Phase 3 trial were published in December 2024, and the results were impressive (9). Over 68 weeks, participants lost an average of 22.7% of their body weight, making it potentially even more powerful than Monjuaro (9).
Assuming the other Phase 3 trials go as smoothly, approval for CagriSema is expected in Q4 of 2025 (10). The approval process can take some time but we could expect to see this weight loss injection in the UK as soon as late 2026 or early 2027.
Orforglipron: New oral GLP-1 obesity drug
If you don’t like the idea of injections, Orforglipron is an exciting prospect. It’s an oral weight loss tablet like Orlistat. However, whereas Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor, Orforglipron is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It essentially works similarly to Wegovy but comes in pill form and is the first of its kind.
A Phase 2 trial showed that participants lost up to 14.7% of their body weight in eight months, putting it on par with semaglutide injections like Wegovy (11). Several Phase 3 trials on Orforglipron are underway to assess the safety and effectiveness of the drug in people with obesity and other weight-related complications (12)(13)(14)(15).
If all goes well, the new weight loss drug Orforglipron is expected to move forward for approval in 2026 (10). This could be a game-changer for people looking for a weight loss treatment that doesn’t require injections.
Amycretin: Next generation weight loss pill
Another of the latest weight loss drugs that could offer an alternative to injections is Amycretin. This is a promising new anti-obesity pill from Novo Nordisk, the makers of Wegovy.
Amycretin is a dual-acting GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist. It works similarly to the new weight loss pill Orforglipron and existing weight loss injections, but with an added amylin boost (16). Amylin is a hormone that slows digestion and helps regulate blood sugar, further enhancing appetite control and reducing cravings to help you lose weight.
Early trial results are impressive, with participants losing up to 22% of their body weight in 36 weeks—which is more weight loss and at a faster rate than Wegovy (17). This drug is still in early testing, but if further trials confirm its effectiveness, it could become one of the best weight loss pills on the market.
Survodutide: Dual mechanism of action
Survodutide takes yet another different approach to weight loss treatments. It is another weight loss injection, but rather than only working on GLP-1 receptors, this new drug for weight loss also activates glucagon receptors (18).
Glucagon receptors are involved in regulating your metabolism. Therefore, the dual action of Survodutide helps you lose weight by both suppressing your appetite and speeding up your metabolism to help you burn more energy. Studies suggest it could be as effective as Wegovy, with people losing up to 14.9% of their body weight over 46 weeks (19).
Clinical trials (SYNCHRONIZE-1 and -2) are ongoing. If successful, we could see Survodutide becoming available by the end of 2026 for people with type-2 diabetes (10)(20). However, for the treatment of obesity, the predicted timeline is a 2027 launch date (10).
Retatrutide: Triple-action weight loss injection
If you thought Survodutie’s dual-action formula was impressive, Retatrutide takes things a step further. This investigational drug targets GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors, promoting weight loss in three ways: suppressing appetite, improving insulin sensitivity, and increasing metabolism (21).
In a Phase 2 clinical trial, participants lost an average of 24.2% of their body weight in 48 weeks (22). This is the highest weight loss ever recorded in a trial for an obesity drug, beating the other new weight loss injection to watch, CagriSema. To put that into perspective, Wegovy (semaglutide) typically results in around 15% weight loss over a similar period (23).
As of 2025, Retatrutide is currently in Phase 3 trials, and if all goes well, it could be on track for approval by 2027 (10). This could be the most powerful weight loss injection yet, especially for people who haven’t seen success with existing GLP-1 treatments.
MariTide: Monthly weight loss injection
Most weight loss injections—including Mounjaro and Wegovy/Ozempic—require a weekly dose, but MariTide aims to change this. This new weight loss medication is a monthly injection that offers similar, if not better, results.
In a Phase 2 study, patients lost an average of 20% of their body weight over 52 weeks, making it one of the most promising long-acting weight loss treatments (24). Even more promising is that the weight loss didn’t slow towards the end of the study period. This suggests it could help with even further weight loss beyond a year.
Like Mounjaro, MariTide activates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors (24). The new weight loss medicine is still in clinical trials but could be available within the next few years. If approved, this could be a more convenient alternative for those who struggle with weekly weight loss injections.
HU6: New class of weight loss drugs
HU6 is utterly different from GLP-1 drugs. Instead of slowing digestion and working on appetite centres in the brain to reduce hunger and make you eat less, it targets and breaks down excess fat stores, particularly in the liver and around internal organs, while retaining muscle (25).
It is a tablet designed to be taken daily. Early trials show it reduces liver fat and triggers weight loss, and it is likely to be approved for people with a type of liver disease called MASLD (26). Results from the Phase 2 HuMAIN trial looking at people with obesity-related heart failure were also released in September 2024 and showed that people taking daily HG6 lost significant weight (27).
Whether the innovative drug will be available for people with obesity who don’t have other conditions, well, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s still in the testing phase, but it could be a whole new class of weight loss tablets in the future.
What weight loss drugs can you buy now?
The future of weight medication is incredibly exciting, with more effective options than ever. But while we wait for the next generation of new weight loss drugs, let’s not forget about the anti-obesity treatments already available:
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro): A weekly GLP-1 and GIP weight loss injection.
Semaglutide (Wegovy): A once-weekly injection that delivers significant weight loss.
Orlistat (Xenical, Alli, Orlos): A weight loss pill that blocks fat absorption.
At Oxford Online Pharmacy, we can help you find the right option for you, and prescribe these weight loss medications through our online doctor service. Our pharmacy will then deliver your treatment of choice to your front door.
Check out our weight loss treatments page for more information.
Citations
Research and Markets. Weight Loss Drugs Market Trends Analysis 2018-2023 and Opportunities Forecast 2024-2033 Featuring Pfizer, Roche, Merck & Co, AbbVie, and Novartis [Internet]. Yahoo Finance. 2024
MHRA authorises diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight management and weight loss [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2023.
Gettman L. New Drug: Tirzepatide (MounjaroTM). The Senior Care Pharmacist [Internet]. 2023 Feb 1;38(2):50–62.
Lilly’s Zepbound® (tirzepatide) superior to Wegovy® (semaglutide) in head-to-head trial showing an average weight loss of 20.2% vs. 13.7% [Internet]. Eli Lilly and Company. 2023.
NICE. NICE describes how weight loss drug tirzepatide will be rolled out [Internet]. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. NICE. 2024.
Queen Mary Innovation. Appetite supressing tablet using natural products [Internet]. Queen Mary University of London. 2024.
Queen Mary University of London. Nutrient discovery delivers low-cost, drug-free treatment for obesity [Internet]. Queen Mary University of London. 2024.
D’Ascanio AM, Mullally JA, Frishman WH. Cagrilintide. Cardiology in Review. 2023 Mar 8; Publish Ahead of Print.
CagriSema demonstrates superior weight loss in adults with obesity or overweight in the REDEFINE 1 trial [Internet]. Novo Nordisk. 2024 Dec 20.
GLP-1 Pipeline Update: November 2024 [Internet]. Prime Therapeutics. 2024.
Wharton S, Blevins T, Connery L, Rosenstock J, Raha S, Liu R, et al. Daily Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Orforglipron for Adults with Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2023 Jun 23;389(10).
A Study of Orforglipron (LY3502970) in Adolescent Participants With Obesity, or Overweight With Related Comorbidities. [Internet]. Clinicaltrials.gov. 2025.
A Master Protocol for Orforglipron in Participants With Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity or Overweight (ATTAIN-OSA). [Internet] Clinicaltrials.gov. 2025.
A Study of Orforglipron (LY3502970) in Adult Participants With Obesity or Overweight With Weight-Related Comorbidities (ATTAIN-1). [Internet]. clinicaltrials.gov. 2025.
A Study of Once-Daily Oral Orforglipron (LY3502970) in Japanese Adult Participants With Obesity Disease (ATTAIN-J). [Internet]. Clinicaltrials.gov. 2025.
Belay KE, Jemal RH, Aloys Tuyizere. Innovative Glucagon-Based Therapies for Obesity. Journal of the Endocrine Society. 2024 Oct 29;8(12).
Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk successfully completes phase 1b/2a trial with subcutaneous amycretin in people with overweight or obesity. [Internet]. Novo Nordisk. 2025.
Zimmermann T, Thomas L, Baader-Pagler T, Haebel P, Simon E, Reindl W, et al. BI 456906: Discovery and preclinical pharmacology of a novel GCGR/GLP-1R dual agonist with robust anti-obesity efficacy. Molecular Metabolism [Internet]. 2022 Nov 7;101633.
le Roux CW, Steen O, Lucas KJ, Startseva E, Unseld A, Hennige AM. Glucagon and GLP-1 receptor dual agonist survodutide for obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology [Internet]. 2024 Feb 5;S2213-8587(23)00356X.
Wharton S, le Roux CW, Kosiborod MN, Platz E, Brueckmann M, Jastreboff AM, et al. Survodutide for treatment of obesity: rationale and design of two randomized phase 3 clinical trials (SYNCHRONIZETM‐1 and ‐2). Obesity. 2024 Nov 4;
Coskun T, Urva S, Roell WC, Qu H, Loghin C, Moyers JS, et al. LY3437943, a novel triple glucagon, GIP, and GLP-1 receptor agonist for glycemic control and weight loss: From discovery to clinical proof of concept. Cell Metabolism [Internet]. 2022 Sep 6 ;34(9):1234-1247.e9.
Jastreboff AM, Kaplan LM, Frias JP, Wu Q, Du Y, Sirel Gurbuz, et al. Triple–Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity — A Phase 2 Trial. The New England Journal Of Medicine. 2023 Jun 26;389(6).
Bergmann NC, Davies MJ, Lingvay I, Knop FK. Semaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity: A review. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2022 Oct 18;25(1).
Amgen. Amgen Announces Robust Weight Loss With MariTide In People Living With Obesity Or Overweight At 52 Weeks In A Phase 2 Study [Internet]. Prnewswire.com. Cision PR Newswire; 2024.
Mazen Noureddin, Khan S, Portell F, Jorkasky D, Dennis J, Khan O, et al. Safety and efficacy of once-daily HU6 versus placebo in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and high BMI: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a trial. The Lancet Gastroenterology & hepatology. 2023 Oct 5;8(12):1094–105.
HU-6 by Rivus Pharmaceuticals for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): Likelihood of Approval [Internet]. Pharmaceutical Technology. 2024.