At a glance
| Foundayo | Contrave | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Daily pill | Twice-daily tablet |
| How often | Once-daily pill — no injection, no fasting, no food timing | Twice-daily oral tablet — no injection |
| Weight loss in trials | Up to 12.4% — ATTAIN-1 (72 weeks) | Up to 9.3% — COR-BMOD (56 weeks) |
| FDA approved | 2026 | 2014 |
| Made by | Eli Lilly | Currax Pharmaceuticals |
| How it works | A small-molecule (non-peptide) GLP-1 receptor agonist. | Bupropion activates appetite-suppressing nerve cells in the brain's hunger control centre (the hypothalamus). |
| Monthly cost, self-pay | $149–$349/mo | $100–$400/mo |
| Most reported reaction | Nausea 33% (ATTAIN-1) | Nausea 33% (COR-I) |
Every figure in this table is read from the same trial and label records used everywhere else on this site.
Weight loss in each drug's main trial
No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs.
ATTAIN-1 (72 weeks)
COR-BMOD (56 weeks)
In clinical trials, participants taking orforglipron lost on average up to 12.4% of their starting body weight, and participants taking naltrexone / bupropion ER lost on average up to 9.3%. Those numbers come from two different studies: ATTAIN-1 enrolled 3,127 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, no type 2 diabetes over 72 weeks against placebo, while COR-BMOD enrolled adults with obesity, with intensive behaviour therapy over 56 weeks against placebo + intensive behaviour therapy. Who took part, how long each trial ran and what each drug was measured against all move the percentage, so the two figures are not a measured difference between the drugs.
Monthly cost, self-pay
The bar spans the range in each drug's price record — lowest listed price to highest.
$149/month self-pay at the lowest dose, up to $349/month at the highest dose via LillyDirect. $25/month with the commercial insurance savings card. Medicare Part D coverage expected from July 2026 at ~$50/month.
~$100–$400/month (brand). Generic available in some markets.
Self-pay prices are what the manufacturer or the pharmacy lists, not what most people end up paying. Foundayo: $149–$349/month. Contrave: $100–$400/month. Insurance, dose and pharmacy all change both figures.
Side effects reported in the trials
Both trials reported 3 reactions in common. Each rate is the percentage of participants who reported it in the trial named beside it, so the two columns are not from the same study.
A rate is the share of trial participants who reported that reaction, not a prediction for any one person.
How they differ in practice
How you take it
- Foundayo — Once-daily oral tablet. No food or water restrictions.
- Contrave — Oral extended-release tablet, twice daily
Dose build-up
- Foundayo — 3 mg → 6 mg → 12 mg → 36 mg, escalated over several months
- Contrave — titrated to 32/360 mg/day over 4 weeks
Where a drug is not listed here, its prescribing information sets out its own dose steps.
How soon it acts
- Foundayo — Appetite changes typically within the first 4 weeks; meaningful weight loss by 12–16 weeks
- Contrave — Appetite and craving changes typically within 4–8 weeks; significant weight loss by 16–24 weeks
Heart and metabolic findings
- Foundayo — Cardiovascular outcomes data pending.
- Contrave — The LIGHT cardiovascular outcomes trial was terminated early due to a protocol violation and did not provide a definitive answer on CV outcomes.
As stated in each drug’s trial record — not a claim about which drug protects the heart more.
Other findings recorded
- Foundayo — No food or water restrictions — take any time of day; available at $149/month self-pay (lowest dose) or $25/month with commercial insurance
- Contrave — May help specifically with emotional eating and food cravings; bupropion's antidepressant effect may be beneficial if low mood contributes to overeating
If you stop taking it
- Foundayo — No withdrawal trial has been published for Foundayo.
- Contrave — Weight regain after stopping is expected.
Common questions
Written and maintained by one person · Built with agentic AI tools · Every number checked against the cited trial · Not medical advice
Clinical evidence — Orforglipron and Naltrexone / Bupropion ER
No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs.
- ATTAIN-1 — Orforglipron: 3,127 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, no type 2 diabetes, 72 weeks. New England Journal of Medicine, 2025. View source ↗
- COR-BMOD — Naltrexone / Bupropion: Adults with obesity, with intensive behaviour therapy, 56 weeks. Obesity, 2011. View source ↗
- COR-I — Naltrexone / Bupropion: 1,742 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, 56 weeks. The Lancet, 2010. View source ↗
- Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets — FDA prescribing information — DailyMed View source ↗
- Contrave (naltrexone and bupropion extended-release) — FDA prescribing information — DailyMed View source ↗
Next step most people take
Built with agentic AI tools and not a substitute for medical advice
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