Foundayo doses: the six tablet strengths and how you step up
Foundayo (orforglipron) is a once-daily tablet sold in six strengths, from 0.8 mg up to 17.2 mg. You start on the lowest strength and move up one step at a time, spending at least 30 days on each.
In short: Foundayo starts at 0.8 mg once a day. After at least 30 days you move to 2.5 mg, then 5.5 mg, then 9 mg, 14.5 mg or 17.2 mg, with at least 30 days on every strength. The maximum is 17.2 mg, taken as one tablet a day. Reaching 17.2 mg takes at least 150 days. Your prescriber can hold you on a lower strength when weight loss and side effects are both acceptable.
The six Foundayo strengths in order #
Every strength is a single film-coated tablet. The UK product information lists the steps in a fixed order, and you never skip one. The table shows the earliest day you can start each strength when every step runs for the 30-day minimum.
| Step | Tablet strength | Earliest start | Tablet colour and shape | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.8 mg | Day 1 | Pink, round, about 6 mm | G1 |
| 2 | 2.5 mg | Day 31 | Light yellow, round, about 6 mm | G2 |
| 3 | 5.5 mg | Day 61 | Greyish purple, round, about 6 mm | G3 |
| 4 | 9 mg | Day 91 | Pink, oval, about 10 by 5 mm | G4 |
| 5 | 14.5 mg | Day 121 | Light yellow, oval, about 12 by 6 mm | G5 |
| 6 | 17.2 mg | Day 151 | Greyish purple, oval, about 12 by 6 mm | G6 |
How long each step lasts #
Thirty days is the minimum on each strength. The label sets no maximum, so a step can run for 60 or 90 days when your prescriber prefers a slower climb. Foundayo comes in blister packs of 30 tablets, which lines up one pack with one step.
The slow climb has a purpose. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea happen most often while the dose is rising and ease as your body adjusts. Giving each strength a full 30 days lets those effects settle before the next increase.
At Aero Clinic you complete a monthly check-in before each new pack. The prescriber looks at your weight, your side effects and any new medicines, then decides whether you move up or stay. You can read how the service runs on the how Aero Clinic works page.
When to stay on your current strength #
The product information tells prescribers to raise the dose based on response and tolerability. Moving up is a choice made each month, and staying is a normal outcome. Common reasons to hold a strength for another 30 days or longer:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation still bother you on most days.
- You are losing weight steadily and feel well on the current tablet.
- You have started a medicine which raises orforglipron levels. With clarithromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole or ciclosporin, the maximum Foundayo dose is 9 mg a day.
- You take insulin or a sulfonylurea for type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar readings are running low.
- You rely on the contraceptive pill and have no barrier method ready for the 30 days after an increase.
Tell the clinical team about side effects through messaging before your check-in. A full list of effects and what helps is on the Foundayo side effects page.
The long-term dose range: 5.5 mg to 17.2 mg #
The UK label names no single maintenance dose. After 5.5 mg, your prescriber may raise you to 9 mg, 14.5 mg or 17.2 mg, and the strength you settle on becomes your long-term dose. Three of those tablets match the doses tested for 72 weeks in the ATTAIN-1 trial of 3,127 adults without diabetes, alongside diet and activity support.
| Tablet strength | Trial capsule dose | Average loss, all participants | Average loss, on treatment | Stopped due to side effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 mg | 6 mg | 7.5% | 7.8% | 5.3% |
| 9 mg | 12 mg | 8.4% | 9.3% | 7.9% |
| 17.2 mg | 36 mg | 11.2% | 12.4% | 10.3% |
| Placebo | None | 2.1% | 0.9% | 2.7% |
Higher strengths produced more weight loss and more people stopping because of side effects. This trade-off is why the right long-term dose differs between people. The 14.5 mg tablet matches a 24 mg capsule, a dose ATTAIN-1 did not test as a target. More detail sits on the Foundayo results page and the maintenance doses guide.
Why tablet strengths differ from the ATTAIN trial doses #
The ATTAIN trials used hard capsules in doses from 1 mg to 36 mg, starting at 1 mg and stepping up every 4 weeks. The product sold in the UK is a film-coated tablet, and the two forms are not interchangeable milligram for milligram. Each tablet strength was set to match one capsule dose, so a news story quoting 36 mg and a pack reading 17.2 mg describe the same dose level.
| Tablet you take | Capsule used in trials |
|---|---|
| 0.8 mg | 1 mg |
| 2.5 mg | 3 mg |
| 5.5 mg | 6 mg |
| 9 mg | 12 mg |
| 14.5 mg | 24 mg |
| 17.2 mg | 36 mg |
One tablet a day at every strength #
Each dose is one tablet. Never take two lower-strength tablets to make a higher dose. The label allows no more than one tablet a day.
Take the tablet at any time of day, with or without food, and swallow the tablet whole. When you forget a tablet, take one when you remember, and never take two on the same day. The full routine is on the how to take Foundayo page.
How dose affects your monthly price #
Aero’s prices, review arrangements and contact channels will be published before booking opens. Ask for written details of assessment fees, ongoing support, renewal payments and cancellation or refund terms before committing to treatment.
Foundayo doses: the six tablet strengths and how you step up: questions #
What is the starting dose of Foundayo?
The starting dose is 0.8 mg once a day for at least 30 days. This strength prepares your body for the medicine and is too low to be a long-term dose. After 30 days you move to 2.5 mg, then to 5.5 mg after another 30 days or more, when your prescriber agrees.
What is the highest dose of Foundayo?
The maximum is 17.2 mg once a day, taken as a single tablet. This strength matches the 36 mg capsule used in the ATTAIN-1 trial. People taking clarithromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole or ciclosporin have a lower maximum of 9 mg a day because those medicines raise orforglipron levels.
How long does reaching the top dose of Foundayo take?
At least 150 days. There are five steps below 17.2 mg, and each one lasts 30 days or more, so the earliest start for 17.2 mg is day 151. Many people take longer because the prescriber holds a strength while side effects settle. Some never need the top dose.
Can I stay on a lower dose of Foundayo?
Yes, when your prescriber agrees. Increases depend on your response and how well you tolerate the tablet. In ATTAIN-1, the dose matching the 5.5 mg tablet produced an average loss of 7.5% at 72 weeks, compared with 11.2% on the dose matching 17.2 mg, alongside diet and activity support.
Is 17.2 mg of Foundayo the same as 36 mg of orforglipron?
Yes. The ATTAIN trials used capsules, and the UK product is a tablet with different milligram numbers. The 17.2 mg tablet matches the 36 mg capsule, 9 mg matches 12 mg, and 5.5 mg matches 6 mg. Capsules and tablets are not interchangeable milligram for milligram.
Foundayo pill plan price to be confirmed
Aero’s treatment prices and service inclusions will be confirmed before booking opens. Ask which prescribing, dispensing, delivery and follow-up costs are included in your quote.
Page information
- Summary
- Foundayo comes in 0.8, 2.5, 5.5, 9, 14.5 and 17.2 mg tablets. See how long each step lasts, when to stay put and how tablets match trial doses.
- Publisher
- Aero Clinic, operated by AERO HEALTHCARE LTD.
- Editorial update
- Clinical review
- Pending. An editorial update is not a clinical sign-off.
Cite as: Foundayo doses: the six tablet strengths and how you step up, Aero Clinic (https://www.cagri.co.uk), AERO HEALTHCARE LTD. https://www.cagri.co.uk/foundayo-doses. Editorial update: 4 November 2026. Clinical review pending.