Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill tracked 18,410 U.S. prescriptions in the first full week after its launch, IQVIA data shared by an analyst on Friday showed.
Investors are closely watching prescriptions data to see if the Danish drugmaker can press its first-mover advantage against rival Eli Lilly in a competitive weight-loss market.
The pill hit 3,071 U.S. prescriptions in the first four days after its launch on Jan. 5.
“We note this is tracking ahead of other GLP-1 launches,” Guggenheim analysts said in a note.
Novo, under a new CEO who took over last year, is banking on the pill version of its blockbuster Wegovy treatment to draw new consumers as it works to regain momentum against Lilly after profit warnings and slowing growth weighed on its shares last year.
Novo’s shares have been rising steadily since the turn of the year, up around 25 per cent in January. The stock rose 2.5 per cent on Friday to hit its highest level since late July, when CEO Mike Doustdar took the reins amid sliding sales.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision on Lilly’s experimental pill by April.
Oral obesity treatments provide patients with greater flexibility and a needle-free alternative, although injectable medications are still expected to dominate for years to come.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
