Key Takeaways:
Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy reached about 152,000 US prescriptions in its 24th week of launch, outpacing rivals in the weight-loss market, Citi data show.
The broker's prescription tracker recorded the figure for the week ending June 19, a period shortened by the Juneteenth holiday. On a four-week rolling average basis, prescriptions rose 2%.
The Wegovy pill is running at roughly twice the rate of Eli Lilly's Zepbound at the same point in its launch, based on IQVIA data, Citi said. The bank cautioned that the figures do not fully capture the direct-to-patient cash-pay channel.
Lilly's oral GLP-1 drug Foundayo, which launched April 9, captured 20,594 prescriptions in its 10th full week. The comparable figure for the Wegovy pill was 89,279, though Citi said capture rates remain variable early in the launch.
The oral GLP-1 market represents a potential multibillion-dollar opportunity as drugmakers race to offer alternatives to injectable weight-loss treatments. Novo Nordisk's early lead in oral prescriptions signals strong patient and physician demand for a pill-based option. Investors will watch weekly prescription trends and upcoming Lilly data readouts for signs of whether Foundayo can close the gap.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
