In a bid to avoid previous shortages of injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), Eli Lilly has already started to assemble a stockpile of its oral weight loss drug orforglipron.
In its 2025 annual report, published in February 2026, Eli Lilly said it has pre-launch inventory capitalised at $1.5bn, most of which is related to orforglipron.
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Orforglipron is not yet commercialised and is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a decision expected in April 2026. The approval process has been expedited via Lilly’s receipt of a Commissioner’s National Priority Review Voucher (CNPV).
Stockpiling medicines before approval is a common strategy in pharma. For Lilly, it is also a matter of avoiding pitfalls during the early commercial stages of injectable GLP-1RAs. In 2022, there were widespread shortages of tirzepatide products Zepbound and Mounjaro due to unprecedented demand. Many of the patients who struggled to find branded products turned to compounded alternatives, eroding revenue streams for Lilly. The shortages were resolved in late 2024.
Reacting to the pre-launch production, GlobalData senior analyst Shehroz Mahmood says: “It represents a decisive effort to avoid repeating the supply constraints that plagued its Mounjaro and Zepbound rollouts. This substantial inventory build signals management’s confidence in regulatory approval and their determination to execute a robust global launch.”
Orforglipron is a highly anticipated drug in the obesity space. The once-daily pill has demonstrated positive results in clinical trials and is part of an industry pivot to treatment flexibility. Novo Nordisk won US approval for the first oral GLP-1RA for weight loss in December 2025, with the pill, named oral Wegovy, launched in the US in January 2026. UBS analysts project 400,000 prescriptions for Novo’s pill in Q1 2026, signifying strong uptake for the new treatment modality. Novo Nordisk confirmed in its 2025 earnings call that there had been 50,000 prescriptions for the pill by the end of January.
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By GlobalDataGlobalData, parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology, currently forecasts that orforglipron – if approved – will generate sales of $13bn in 2031.
With such a high sales ceiling, Lilly is preparing itself for significant supply chain demands. In February 2025, the big pharma company said it had already built up nearly $550m worth of orforglipron-related inventory.
Mahmood adds: “Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill has achieved early traction and a formidable first-mover advantage in the oral obesity market, but it remains to be seen whether Eli Lilly can yet again take the spotlight, as it did in the competition for injectable therapies.”
Lilly is also cementing a long-term strategy to maintain orforglipron production. Earlier this month, Lilly announced the last of four new manufacturing facilities it plans to construct in the US as part of a $27bn investment drive. At least three of these have been confirmed as production hubs for weight loss therapies such as orforglipron.
Lilly recently reported a 45% surge in 2025 revenue, spearheaded by Zepbound and Mounjaro sales of 13.5bn and $23bn, respectively.
