A pharmacist shows a field of Wegovy tablets at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, Jan. 15, 2026.
George Frey | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs
Shares of Novo Nordisk rose greater than 8% on Friday after early prescription information confirmed an encouraging begin to the U.S. launch of the corporate’s new GLP-1 capsule for weight problems.
In a Friday notice, TD Cowen analysts referred to as it a “strong begin” for the first-ever weight reduction capsule, however stated “one information level doesn’t make a development.” They cautioned that they should see extra information to completely assess early demand for the Wegovy capsule, which formally launched Jan. 5 after successful approval in late December.
Nonetheless, the preliminary information is a lift to the Danish drugmaker’s hopes of successful again extra share from its chief rival, Eli Lilly, this yr within the booming weight problems and diabetes drug market. Eli Lilly gained the bulk market share in early 2025 and is trailing carefully behind Novo Nordisk within the capsule house, because it prepares for the upcoming launch of its personal oral drug for weight problems.
In a Friday notice, Leerink Companions analyst David Risinger stated round 3,100 prescriptions for the Wegovy capsule have been crammed within the first week of the launch, citing IQVIA information for the week ending Jan. 9. Within the first week of the business launch of Eli Lilly’s well-liked weight problems injection, Zepbound, round 1,300 prescriptions have been crammed, and roughly 8,000 have been crammed within the second week, he famous. That injection gained U.S. approval in late 2023.
The TD Cowen analysts cited considerably completely different information printed by Symphony by Bloomberg.
The analysts stated round 4,290 prescriptions have been crammed for Novo Nordisk’s capsule throughout its first full week of launch, with the bulk being for the beginning dose of the drug. They added that the info from their supply or IQVIA possible do not embrace prescriptions by Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer pharmacy or its telehealth companions.
The analysts stated that compares with the roughly 1,900 prescriptions crammed for Zepbound throughout its first full week available on the market.
Assuming the Symphony information is correct, the capsule “is already outstripping its injectable counterparts on the identical stage of their launch,” TD Cowen analyst Michael Nedelcovych wrote within the notice. A extra direct comparability between the capsule and the injections could be made primarily based on out there information early subsequent week, although the figures might not show extra helpful for an additional two to a few quarters, he added.
Nedelcovych stated he desires to see the total image on the direct-to-consumer channel, which holds “important promise” for the capsule’s launch.
Demand might additionally shift as soon as Eli Lilly’s capsule, orforglipron, enters the market within the subsequent few months, he added.
Whereas Novo Nordisk’s drug has a head begin, it’s a peptide remedy with dietary necessities — no meals or drink for half-hour after taking the capsule with water — that will hinder uptake. Eli Lilly’s capsule is a small-molecule drug and never a peptide, that means it doesn’t have these restrictions.
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