Novo Nordisk Shares Soar as FDA Clears First Weight-Loss Pill

Novo Nordisk shares jumped late in the year after US regulators approved the first oral GLP-1 drug for weight loss, offering investors a rare bright spot after a bruising 2025. 

The approval follows a year in which Novo’s stock lost roughly 50% of its value amid guidance cuts, layoffs, management upheaval, and intensifying competition. Monday’s decision helped steady sentiment, with investors betting that a pill version of Wegovy could reinvigorate growth in Novo’s largest market, the US. 

Novo said the pill will debut at a 1.5-milligram dose and be priced at $149 a month for eligible patients, including through select telehealth providers. That price point lands well below the list costs of injectable GLP-1 drugs, at a time when political pressure to rein in US drug prices has intensified.

Clinical data has underpinned the optimism. In trials, the Wegovy pill delivered average weight loss of 16.6% over about a year, compared with 12.4% reported for Lilly’s competing oral candidate. The pill also carries approval for reducing cardiovascular risks such as heart attacks and strokes, expanding its commercial appeal.

What Does This Mean for Me?

Still, execution will matter. The drug must be taken on an empty stomach, which could affect adherence, while Lilly’s injectables already dominate US prescriptions. With Eli Lilly shares outperforming Novo this year, investors will be watching closely to see whether this regulatory win marks a genuine turning point or just a temporary reprieve.