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Sales are booming for Novo Nordisk\u2019s new weight loss pill.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In its first earnings report since the release of an alternative to its hit GLP-1 shot, Novo Nordisk\u2019s outlook is looking a bit brighter. The company, which now makes Wegovy in pill form, raised its guidance for the year in light of the first quarter\u2019s success.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Novo reported 1.3 million prescriptions for its weight loss pill, which is now available in the U.S., in the first quarter of 2026. The drugmaker plans to launch the pill outside of the U.S. in the second half of the year, expanding the new medication\u2019s reach considerably.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strong Wegovy performance, combined with continued growth in International Operations, has led us to raise our 2026 guidance for both adjusted sales and adjusted operating profit,\u201d Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said in the report. Doustdar added that the company secured FDA approval for a high dose version of Wegovy, formulated for more dramatic weight loss, in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Novo beat its own expectations<\/a> in the first quarter of the year, reporting a 32% pop in sales on a constant currency basis and a 65% boost in operating profit. The adjusted numbers are more modest, with a 4% decrease in sales and a 6% dip in operating profit, but that still beat the company\u2019s projections.\u00a0<\/p>\n In light of its quarter, Novo is forecasting adjusted sales and profit declines of 4 to 12% for the year, an improvement to the previous projection of 5 to 13%. The company\u2019s shares perked up by more than 5% on its latest numbers.\u00a0<\/p>\n The company is optimistic that its pill GLP-1 offering will widen the appeal of its weight loss drugs rather than converting existing users of the injectable version. \u201cIt\u2019s having not cannibalizations, but a synergetic effect,\u201d CEO Mike Doustdar told CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n