Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) surged in pre-market hours after the healthcare company revealed its anti-obesity pill achieved nearly the same weight loss as its Wegovy injection in a new trial. Investors cheer the news as the Danish healthcare giant rushes to launch a tablet version ahead of its rival Eli Lilly (LLY). NVO stock gained over 5% in pre-market hours as of this writing on Thursday.
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For context, Wegovy is Novo Nordisk’s prescription drug for long-term weight management, using the active ingredient semaglutide. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly offers Mounjaro and Zepbound, which use tirzepatide for weight loss.
Novo’s Wegovy Pill Shines
According to a 64-week phase 3 trial, patients taking the oral semaglutide pill lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight, slightly below the 17% average loss seen with the injectable version in a previous study. About one in three participants taking the pill lost 20% of their body weight.
Praising the results, Ludovic Helfgott, Novo’s executive vice president of product and portfolio strategy, said this is the first time an oral and injectable weight-loss drug has shown nearly equal results.
The pill (referred as Wegovy pill) is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after a New Drug Application was filed in February, with a decision expected in the fourth quarter. If approved, the company plans to manufacture the pill entirely in the U.S., as drugmakers increase local production in response to Trump-era pressure to boost domestic manufacturing.
Race for Weight-Loss Pills
Competition in the weight-loss drug market is intensifying as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk vie for market share. With no approved oral GLP-1 drugs yet, both are racing to offer patients a pill option. It is seen as an important step to make the weight loss treatment more accessible, especially for those who dislike injections.
Lilly recently said it plans to seek regulatory approval for its experimental weight-loss pill, Orforglipron, in several markets simultaneously. Meanwhile, Novo stated that it welcomes the competition but emphasized it remains focused on launching its own oral treatment.
Is Novo Nordisk a Good Stock to Buy Now?
According to TipRanks, NVO stock has received a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on six Buys and three Holds assigned over the last three months. The Novo Nordisk share price forecast stands at $64.50, which is 11% above the current trading level.
