Novo Nordisk (NVO) has become the first pharmaceutical company to receive approval in the United States for a slimming pill based on GLP-1. The share responded immediately and is more than 7.8 percent higher today.
Breakthrough in the obesity market
The approval marks a milestone in the obesity medication market. Until now, treatments with GLP-1 hormones were only available as an injection. An oral variant significantly lowers that threshold, allowing many more people to gain access to this popular weight-loss medication.
Novo Nordisk will start distributing the pill in the US in early January 2026. The monthly cost for patients without insurance will be $149. The first available dose is 1.5 milligrams and will be sold through pharmacies and select telehealth platforms.
Ahead of Eli Lilly
With the American approval, Novo Nordisk takes an important lead over competitor Eli Lilly (LLY), which is still awaiting a ruling on its own oral GLP-1 drug. Analysts see it as a strategic advantage that Novo is the first to bring an approved pill to the market.
In addition, the company is cleverly responding to political pressure to make medicines more affordable. The relatively low price may also allow Novo to gain market share among people without insurance, a large group in the US.
Difficult year takes a different turn
The stock price of Novo Nordisk was hit hard this year by internal unrest, supply problems and doubts about the American strategy. These headwinds led to a decline of almost fifty percent since January.
Yet the approval of the pill seems to herald a change. Investors hope that the introduction of a user-friendly alternative to injections will give new momentum to the Danish group’s GLP-1 product line. Applications for approval of the pill have also been submitted outside the US.
Source: https://newsbit.nl/novo-nordisk-aandeel-schiet-omhoog-na-goedkeuring-nieuwe-afslankpil/
