BRIEF—Novo Nordisk warns of slower launch for Wegovy in new markets

Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk has warned that the launch of its weight management drug Wegovy (semaglutide) in most of Europe will be slower than planned and the drug will likely not be sold in developing nations for a very long time, as demand booms in the USA.

"Short term we are challenged because we cannot fully meet demand. But everyone can rest assured that we are strongly committed to make sure that patients over time will get the medicine they expect," chief executive Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen told a news conference.

Wegovy, which launched in the USA in mid-2021, has propelled the company to record sales and its current position as the third biggest pharma company globally by market capitalization, according to Refinitiv data.

Global sales of Wegovy were 4,563 million kroner ($671 million), up 225%, in the first quarter of this year.