Novo Nordisk president and CEO Mike Doustdar warned on Tuesday that the company’s international operations will face heightened competition in 2026 following the loss of market exclusivity in key markets including Canada, Australia and parts of Western Europe. International sales accounted for approximately 35% of group revenue in 2025, and management now expects annual growth in that region to decelerate to low single digits next year versus mid-teens percentage gains in 2024. Doustdar highlighted that biosimilar and generic entrants are already securing price rebates of up to 40% in some markets, and that the company will increase marketing investments by SEK 2 billion to defend share in type 2 diabetes and obesity segments.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s preliminary safety update, released Tuesday, concluded there is no demonstrable association between GLP-1 receptor agonists—including Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide-based therapies—and suicidal ideation or behavior. The agency reviewed over 1,200 adverse-event reports submitted between 2018 and 2025, as well as data from four large outcome trials and multiple observational cohorts involving more than 25,000 patients. While acknowledging the limited number of events in both treated and control groups, the FDA said it will proceed with a comprehensive meta-analysis of all GLP-1 trials and utilize its Sentinel System database, which encompasses more than 100 million health records, before issuing definitive guidance. The update reiterates current label warnings and urges patients not to discontinue therapy without consulting their healthcare provider.