Novo Nordisk’s Landmark Week: Medicare Enters Weight-Loss Market and UK Approves Oral Wegovy
28.06.2026 - 21:43:00 | boerse-global.de
The Danish drugmaker enters uncharted territory this week with two regulatory milestones converging simultaneously. Starting Tuesday, July 1 2026, Medicare beneficiaries in the United States gain access to Wegovy for the first time in the program’s history, paying just $50 a month for any dosage or formulation. The so-called “Medicare GLP-1 Bridge” programme runs through the end of 2027, covering all US states and territories, and was made possible by pricing agreements that cap Novo Nordisk’s net revenue at $245 per month — a fraction of the list price north of $1,000.
Across the Atlantic, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted marketing authorisation on June 11 for the daily oral version of Wegovy (semaglutide), making it the first once-daily GLP-1 pill approved anywhere in Europe for weight reduction. The decision followed the Phase 3 OASIS 4 trial and puts Novo Nordisk in a strong position ahead of additional European launches planned for the second half of 2026. The US market has already seen more than three million prescriptions for the oral formulation since its American debut roughly five months ago, a milestone CEO Mike Doustdar called “remarkable” given that Eli Lilly launched a competing GLP-1 pill in April.
Shares have responded enthusiastically. Novo Nordisk’s stock closed at €42.19 on Friday, breaching the 200-day moving average of €40.94 for the first time in months — a technically significant breakout. The advance of 8.44% over the past seven sessions has lifted the equity nearly 40% from the 52-week low of €30.25 hit in early March. Yet the recovery only partially reverses the damage: the stock remains roughly 27% lower on a year-to-date basis and still sits 31% below the July 2025 peak of €61.20.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Novo Nordisk?
On the technical front, the 14-day relative strength index has climbed to 71.3, slipping into overbought territory. That reading often foreshadows a short-term pause or consolidation, and traders are likely monitoring whether the 200-day line can now serve as solid support. A more fundamental catalyst arrives on September 21 with Novo Nordisk’s Capital Markets Day, while second-quarter earnings are due August 5.
Not all news has been smooth. Two hacking groups — FulcrumSec and TheUSERS007 — have claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on Novo’s IT systems, demanding ransoms of $25 million and $50 million respectively. The company refused to pay and insists that operations remain unaffected and that no direct patient identifiers were compromised. The attackers allege they stole source code, clinical trial data, and manufacturing information, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Pipeline momentum remains intact despite the noise. Novo Nordisk submitted a US marketing application for CagriSema, a fixed-dose combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide, in December 2025, with a regulatory decision from the FDA expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The REIMAGINE Phase 3 programme hit all primary endpoints, delivering statistically significant reductions in both HbA1c and body weight. Separately, the company initiated a new double-blind, placebo-controlled study in May for cagrilintide as a monotherapy, targeting patients who cannot tolerate GLP-1 therapies due to gastrointestinal side effects.
Meanwhile, competition is heating up. Zealand Pharma and Roche are both planning to start Phase 3 programmes for their own amylin-based weight-loss candidates in the second half of 2026. For now, the market’s immediate focus remains on the dual regulatory tailwinds — and whether the momentum behind the stock can translate into sustained fundamental growth.
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Novo Nordisk Stock: New Analysis - 28 June
Fresh Novo Nordisk information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
