Copenhagen, Jan 18, 2026, 13:52 CET — Market closed.
- Shares of Novo Nordisk jumped Friday following early U.S. prescription figures for its new Wegovy pill.
- A UK regulator approved a higher dose of Wegovy, expanding its role in obesity treatment.
- Attention turns to whether early demand for the pill sustains and to the company’s earnings report on Feb. 4.
Shares of Novo Nordisk jumped 6.49% to 388.90 Danish crowns on Friday, marking their biggest daily gain in weeks. The surge came after new demand signals for its Wegovy obesity drug and a UK approval for a higher Wegovy dose brought the stock back into focus for investors. 1
This stock move is significant as investors seek solid proof that Novo can expand Wegovy beyond injections and compete with Eli Lilly in the fiercely contested obesity drug market, a key growth battleground.
Markets were closed over the weekend, so Monday will reveal if the rally was just a quick bounce off early data or the beginning of a more sustained shift in earnings expectations.
Analysts referring to IQVIA prescription data reported 3,071 U.S. retail prescriptions for the Wegovy pill within its first four days on the market. This early demand indicator doesn’t count online orders, including those through Novo’s NovoCare Pharmacy, so the actual figure is expected to be higher. 2
Novo described initial feedback as “positive” but warned it’s “too early” to identify any trends, even as the company pushes the pill through major pharmacy chains and telehealth platforms. Ro CEO Zach Reitano called early demand “an attractive option for both new patients,” while BCG’s Suchita Shah predicted oral launches “will drive” this year’s weight-loss market, with more patients paying out of pocket instead of relying on insurance. 3
Britain’s MHRA has greenlit an increased maximum weekly Wegovy dose of up to 7.2 mg, administered as three injections, for patients with a BMI of 30 or higher. CEO Mike Doustdar noted that earlier studies backed the 2.4 mg dose, showing about 15%–16% weight loss, but later trials indicate the higher dose might push that to around 20%. Emil Kongshoj Larsen, executive VP, named high-dose launches outside the U.S. as the “number one priority” for the year. 4
The regulatory victory buoyed the wider sector on Friday, allowing European healthcare stocks to stay firm despite the broader market losing steam. 5
In the U.S., Novo’s ADRs closed Friday higher by 0.74%, settling at $62.79. 6
There are obvious risks here. The prescription data spans just a few days, and early adopters might skew the initial numbers. Uptake still depends heavily on price, access, and whether payers clamp down as costs rise. If Lilly accelerates its rollout of oral obesity drugs, that could ramp up the pressure even more.
Investors are gearing up for Novo’s full-year 2025 report on Feb. 4. The company is expected to revise guidance and address questions around the rollout speed of the Wegovy pill, plus its impact on supply and pricing. 7
