Quick answer: standard Foundayo dosage starts at 0.8 mg once daily for at least 30 days, then 2.5 mg for at least 30 days, then 5.5 mg.[1] After that, a prescriber can step up to 9 mg, 14.5 mg and a maximum of 17.2 mg, each after at least 30 days, based on how well it works and how well you tolerate it.[1] Foundayo can be taken with or without food.
Foundayo is the brand name of orforglipron, Lilly’s once-daily GLP-1 pill, FDA-approved on April 1, 2026, for weight loss in adults.[2] This guide walks through the label’s Foundayo dosage schedule, how to take each tablet, missed doses, drug interactions and side effects by dose. For background, see our orforglipron profile and the GLP-1 drugs hub.
Who the Foundayo dose schedule is for
The label approves Foundayo, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, for adults with obesity, or with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition. The same dose schedule applies to people with and without type 2 diabetes. It has not been studied in children, and it is not meant to be taken with another GLP-1 drug.[1]
Foundayo dosage chart
| Step | Daily dose | Tablet | Minimum time before the next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 0.8 mg | Pink round, “G1” | 30 days |
| Step 2 | 2.5 mg | Light yellow round, “G2” | 30 days |
| Step 3 | 5.5 mg | Grayish purple round, “G3” | 30 days, if increasing |
| Optional | 9 mg | Pink oval, “G4” | 30 days, if increasing |
| Optional | 14.5 mg | Light yellow oval, “G5” | 30 days, if increasing |
| Maximum | 17.2 mg | Grayish purple oval, “G6” | — |
Source: FDA label, sections 2 and 3.[1] Each strength comes in a bottle of 30 tablets.[1]
The label sets the slow start “to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions,” and it does not require anyone to go above 5.5 mg.[1] Your prescriber decides whether and when to move up.
Why the doses look unusual
The trials used capsules at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 mg. The marketed tablets deliver the same blood levels at 0.8, 2.5, 5.5, 9, 14.5 and 17.2 mg, which a 429-person study confirmed as bioequivalent.[4] That is why trial papers report “36 mg” while the top tablet is 17.2 mg.[3]
How to take Foundayo
From the label:[1]
- Take one tablet by mouth once a day, with or without food.
- Swallow it whole. Do not break, crush or chew it.
- Never take more than one tablet a day.
- Store at room temperature, 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
Food lowers absorption a little (about 19% in a study of a test tablet), which the label calls not clinically relevant.[1] Peak blood levels arrive 4 to 8 hours after a dose, and the half-life is roughly 29 to 49 hours.[1] Picking the same time each day makes doses easier to remember.
Missed doses
- Take a missed dose as soon as possible, but do not double up the next day.[1]
- If you miss 7 or more doses in a row, the label says to restart the dose climb at a lower dose to reduce stomach side effects. Call your prescriber about how to restart.[1]
See also our general missed GLP-1 dose guide.
Doses tested in the trials, and results
The two phase 3 weight-loss trials randomized adults to 5.5 mg, 9 mg or 17.2 mg (as tablet equivalents) or placebo for 72 weeks, all with diet and activity counseling.[1]
| Dose | ATTAIN-1: adults without diabetes | ATTAIN-2: adults with type 2 diabetes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.5 mg | −7.4% | −5.1% |
| 9 mg | −8.3% | −7.0% |
| 17.2 mg | −11.1% | −9.6% |
| Placebo | −2.1% | −2.5% |
Source: FDA label, Table 6.[1] The published ATTAIN-1 paper reports 7.5%, 8.4% and 11.2% from a slightly different analysis.[3][5]
On 17.2 mg in ATTAIN-1, 54.5% lost at least 10% of their weight and 35.9% lost at least 15%, versus 13% and 6% on placebo.[1] Higher doses gave more weight loss, but also more side effects.
After injections: in ATTAIN-MAINTAIN, adults who had already lost weight on tirzepatide or semaglutide injections switched to orforglipron or placebo. On orforglipron they kept an estimated 74.7% (after tirzepatide) and 79.3% (after semaglutide) of their lost weight at one year, versus 49.2% and 37.6% on placebo.[6] The trial had no group that stayed on the injection.
Side effects by Foundayo dose
From the label’s pooled weight-loss trials:[1]
| Side effect | Placebo | 5.5 mg | 9 mg | 17.2 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 10% | 26% | 34% | 35% |
| Constipation | 9% | 20% | 27% | 24% |
| Diarrhea | 11% | 21% | 23% | 25% |
| Vomiting | 4% | 13% | 21% | 24% |
| Stopped due to side effects | 3% | 6% | 9% | 10% |
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were more common while the dose was being raised and decreased over time.[1]
- Heart rate rose by an average of 4 to 5 beats per minute. Low blood pressure occurred in 2% versus 0.5%, more often in people on blood pressure medicines.[1]
- In people with type 2 diabetes, low blood sugar was more common with a sulfonylurea (7%) than without (0.5%).[1]
Interactions that can change the dose
Orforglipron is processed by the liver enzyme CYP3A4, so some medicines change its levels:[1]
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (for example, the antibiotic clarithromycin raised exposure 3.5-fold): the maximum Foundayo dose is 9 mg. Avoid strong inhibitors that also block OATP1B.
- Strong CYP3A4 inducers (for example, carbamazepine cut exposure by 82%): avoid them.
- Moderate inducers: the prescriber may need to raise the Foundayo dose.
- Simvastatin: Foundayo roughly doubled levels of its active form, which may matter at the highest statin dose.
- Insulin or sulfonylureas: the prescriber may lower those doses to prevent low blood sugar.
- Birth control pills: switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase.
Bring a full medicine list, including supplements, to your prescriber and pharmacist.
Questions to ask your prescriber
- Should I stay on 5.5 mg, or would a higher dose help me?
- Do any of my medicines, such as antibiotics, seizure drugs or statins, change my Foundayo dose?
- What should I do about birth control during dose increases?
- How do I restart if I miss a week?
For cost and coverage, see Foundayo cost. To compare it with other options, read Foundayo vs the Wegovy pill, orforglipron vs tirzepatide and our overview of GLP-1 pills.
