UAE Approves Lilly's Foundayo Pill for Type 2 Diabetes, Third Country to Do So

The decision adds a second use to the drug's UAE licence. The regulator approved Foundayo for chronic weight management in April 2026, when the UAE became the second country to clear it for that purpose. Foundayo is a once-daily pill rather than an injection, so its approval brings a new delivery format into the fast-growing GLP-1 market. The UAE regulator has been among the first in the world to act on it.

Foundayo is a non-peptide glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Unlike some oral treatments in the class, it can be taken without restrictions on food or water. The regulator said it helps adults with type 2 diabetes improve blood sugar control and supports long-term weight management, as part of a doctor-supervised plan that includes diet and physical activity.

In its announcement, the Emirates Drug Establishment said the approval fits its aim of building an efficient, proactive regulatory system that meets international standards for quality, safety and efficacy. It said the goal is to widen access to new treatments and reduce the long-term burden of chronic disease. The regulator also urged residents to learn the risk factors for type 2 diabetes, get screened regularly and keep up medical follow-up.

Other regulators are moving at a similar pace. The US Food and Drug Administration approved Foundayo in April, according to pharmaphorum. In August, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency authorised it both for weight management and for adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, making the UK the first European country to clear the drug. At that point, the drug was on sale only in the US and the UAE, the outlet reported.

In Europe, the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended approval for obesity and type 2 diabetes on October 16, Bloomberg Government reported. The European Commission makes the final decision and typically does so within about two months of a committee recommendation, which would put an EU ruling around mid-December.