Novo Nordisk’s Pill Lands in the UK With 70,000 Waiting as Medicare Push Opens a New US Front
Published on 07/06/2026 at 15:07 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Novo Nordisk is firing on two growth cylinders. The Danish pharma giant has just launched its oral Wegovy in Britain, drawing 70,000 patients to waiting lists in a matter of days, while across the Atlantic a newly expanded Medicare program is giving millions of older Americans cheaper access to the injectable version. Both moves promise to turbocharge sales, though the stock’s recent 20% rally has pushed it close to overbought territory.
British Surge Drives Oral Wegovy Demand
The UK rollout has already exceeded expectations. Online pharmacy Simple Online Healthcare alone logged over 60,000 registrations within 24 hours of the pill’s debut. At UK pharmacies, patients pay between £80 and £99 a month for the starting dose, rising to more than £229 for the highest strength. The tablets are available only on private prescription for now; Novo Nordisk is still awaiting final sign?off from UK health authorities. The pattern echoes the US experience, where oral Wegovy prescriptions recently crossed the three?million mark — equivalent to a new script every five seconds.
Medicare Bridge Program Opens the US Spigot
Since the start of July, a new Medicare Bridge Program has allowed eligible US seniors to obtain Wegovy for roughly $50 a month. The initiative runs through end?2027 and is expected to unlock billions in extra revenue as demand picks up in coming months. The catch: rival Eli Lilly enjoys the same terms under the program, so Novo Nordisk cannot bank on a pricing edge. Still, the expanded access should accelerate volume growth for both companies in the world’s largest obesity?drug market.
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Parent Company Scores a Billion?Dollar Exit
Away from the drug pipeline, Novo Nordisk’s parent, Novo Holdings, has cashed in on its investment in Myricx Bio, selling the biotech startup to Novartis. The deal is worth up to $1.5 billion, with $1.1 billion flowing in as an upfront cash payment. The exit underscores Novo Holdings’ strategy of backing promising pharmaceutical platforms and monetising them at the right moment.
Price War Breaks Out in Asia
In China, Novo Nordisk has slashed prices for the highest Wegovy doses by as much as 48% in some provinces, bringing a monthly supply to around $141. Similar reductions of up to 37% have been reported in India. The aggressive cuts are a direct response to mounting pressure from local manufacturers and from Eli Lilly, which is competing fiercely in the fast?growing Asian market.
Buyback Programme and Analyst Confidence
The stock has been underpinned by a 15?billion Danish kroner share buyback programme that runs until February 2027. Novo Nordisk bought one million of its own shares in early July and now holds just under 1% of its own capital. HSBC analysts responded warmly to the operational progress, lifting their price target from 280 to 300 kroner while keeping a “hold” rating. The shares closed in Copenhagen at 326.90 kroner, having recently broken above the 200?day moving average.
Key Dates Ahead
Investors will get the next batch of hard data on 5 August, when Novo Nordisk reports second?quarter results. A capital markets day follows on 21 September, where management is expected to unveil new financial targets. Between the UK pill frenzy, the US Medicare expansion, and a tight global price war, both events will be closely watched for signs of how the obesity?drug leader plans to keep its edge.
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