But this one, for Lilly’s first diabetes and weight-loss pill based on the GLP-1 hormone, was particularly fraught. Days before, rival pharma giant Pfizer had announced it was abandoning its oral weight-loss drug after worrying side effects involving liver problems were reported in one participant in the trial.

Diabetics given the pill called orforglipron lost 16 pounds, or 7.9% of their body weight, over a 40-week period.