Shares in Novo Nordisk surged 6.9% Tuesday, after the Wegovy maker secured approval of its GLP-1 capsule — a world first.
The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration’s approval of Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 capsule offers the Danish pharmaceutical big a head begin over U.S. rival Eli Lilly.
The capsule’s beginning dose of 1.5 milligrams can be obtainable in pharmacies and by way of choose telehealth suppliers with financial savings presents for $149 per 30 days in early January, the agency mentioned.
Money-paying sufferers can entry it for a similar value by way of President Donald Trump’s direct-to-consumer web site, TrumpRx, in line with the deal Novo Nordisk struck along with his administration final month. Drug pricing has been prime of thoughts this 12 months because the U.S. appears to be like to cut back the prices paid by shoppers.
The approval caps a turbulent 12 months for Novo, which has been marked by board drama, provide chain shortages, a bidding warfare in opposition to Pfizer, and criticisms over the execution of its U.S. technique.
Whereas Eli Lily is predicted to launch its personal capsule quickly, Novo’s scientific information appears to be like “improbable,” Rajesh Kumar, who heads up European life Sciences and healthcare fairness analysis at HSBC, informed CNBC’s “Squawk Field Europe” on Tuesday.
Novo’s capsule has meals and water restrictions, which can make it more durable for GPs to prescribe, Kumar mentioned, however famous that its tolerability and efficacy are higher than Eli Lilly’s capsule. “Novo really might need an edge, and it’ll completely rely on how they execute,” he added.
— CNBC’s Annika Kim Constantino additionally contributed to this report.
