Novo Nordisk A/S‘ (NYSE:NVO) weight-loss revolution just swallowed a record. In just its second week on the market, Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy pill hit 20,371 prescriptions, up from 4,289 in week one—a nearly 500% week-over-week surge.
For context, Eli Lilly And Co‘s (NYSE:LLY) Zepbound hit about 10,000 scripts in week two, while Novo’s original injectable Wegovy barely cleared 1,000.
This isn’t just a good launch. It’s unprecedented velocity.
Why This Record Is Bigger Than It Looks
What makes it even more interesting is the fact that the 20,371 figure is likely conservative. Retail script data captures traditional pharmacies like CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) and Walgreens Boots Alliance, but it excludes NovoCare, Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer channel where patients can pay $149–$249 cash.
It also misses telehealth platforms like Hims & Hers Health Inc (NYSE:HIMS), Ro, and WW International Inc‘s (NASDAQ:WW) WeightWatchers (Sequence), where a growing share of GLP-1 demand is being filled.
Then there’s the insurance lag effect. Many patients in week two were still waiting for prior authorization approvals, creating a backlog of demand that hasn’t hit prescription data yet.
So, real adoption could be double or triple of what the headline number shows.
Why This Is Scary for Lilly
Oral GLP-1s change everything. Needles limited adoption; pills mainstream it.
Novo already has distribution in 70,000+ retail locations, building brand loyalty before Lilly’s oral contender, Orforglipron, arrives later in 2026.
In pharma, switching patients is hard—getting them to start is easier. Novo just got there first.
Why It Matters
The GLP-1 trade just entered its mass-market phase. If oral adoption scales, the total addressable market for weight-loss drugs could expand dramatically—potentially reshaping revenue trajectories for both Novo and Lilly.
Markets are warming to the narrative, but the early data suggests Wall Street may still be underestimating how fast the oral GLP-1 era could explode.
Photo: Shutterstock
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