Novo Nordisk says Wegovy pill leads U.S. launch

Novo Nordisk is using the early U.S. rollout of its oral Wegovy as the template for its next expansion push. CNBC reported on May 18 that the Danish drugmaker said the pill had a strong U.S. launch this year and that executives expect to reproduce that performance in other markets. The company is preparing first launches outside the United States later in 2026, pending regulatory approvals, according to CNBC. The move comes as Novo and Eli Lilly compete to widen the market for obesity drugs beyond injectable treatments. ### Why is Novo talking about the pill’s U.S. launch now? CNBC reported on May 18 that Novo’s Executive Vice President for International Operations, Emil Kongshøj Larsen, said the company would go “all in” when it launches the pill outside the United States. Larsen told CNBC the U.S. debut had created a strong pre-launch signal for other countries because social media and digital channels had made the market more connected. (cnbc.com) January 5 was the date Novo began rolling out the first oral GLP-1 pill for weight loss in the United States, CNBC reported earlier this year. Novo said at the time the product was the first-ever GLP-1 pill approved for obesity in the U.S. market. ### How strong was the U.S. uptake? More than 2 million total prescriptions had been written since the January launch, CNBC reported on May 18, citing Novo’s statements from the prior week. (cnbc.com) CNBC also reported that first-quarter sales of the pill beat expectations despite a lower price point. CNBC reported on April 7 that the launch appeared to be drawing in patients who had delayed using GLP-1 drugs because of needle aversion or high out-of-pocket costs tied to injections. (cnbc.com) In interviews with U.S. patients, CNBC said many were new to the category rather than switching from injectable medicines. (cnbc.com) ### What does Novo say happens next outside the United States? Last week, Novo said it expected the first launches outside the U.S. later this year, pending approvals, CNBC reported. Company materials show Novo had already submitted oral semaglutide 25 mg for obesity to the European Medicines Agency and other regulators in the second half of 2025. (cnbc.com) Novo’s own news archive shows the company has continued to publish new data on the pill in May 2026, including analyses presented at the European Congress on Obesity. Those updates focused on weight-loss and mobility outcomes rather than commercial rollout timing, but they show the product remains central to Novo’s obesity portfolio. ### Where does this leave Eli Lilly? (cnbc.com) Eli Lilly is the main rival in the oral obesity-drug race, and CNBC reported earlier in May that investors were already comparing Novo’s Wegovy pill with Lilly’s Foundayo. Early launch data had prompted investors to reassess the market opportunity for oral GLP-1 medicines and which company could lead it, CNBC said. (novonordisk.com) CNBC reported on May 18 that the United States still accounts for more than half of sales for both Novo and Lilly. That helps explain why Novo is highlighting U.S. prescription momentum even as it prepares a broader international push. ### Why is the pill so important to Novo’s 2026 plan? May 6 was the date Novo raised its 2026 outlook after stronger-than-expected first-quarter performance from the newly launched Wegovy pill, CNBC reported. (cnbc.com) The company said increased expectations for GLP-1 product sales supported the guidance change, even as Novo still projected adjusted sales and operating profit to decline 4% to 12% in 2026 because of lower U.S. prices and generic competition in markets including India, Canada, Brazil and China. (cnbc.com) Later in 2026, the next milestone is the first non-U.S. launches of oral Wegovy, pending approvals, according to CNBC. Novo has not yet publicly listed the first countries in that rollout in the materials reviewed here. (cnbc.com 1) (cnbc.com 2)