In its first full week on the market, Novo Nordisk’s newly approved oral version of Wegovy secured over 18,000 U.S. prescriptions, according to IQVIA data. By the second full week, that figure climbed to more than 26,000 prescriptions, underscoring rapid patient uptake. This launch follows December regulatory approval and highlights robust demand in a category where direct-to-consumer outreach and cash-pay channels compensate for patchy insurance coverage. Analysts note that this momentum contributed to a 26% stock rebound in early 2026 after a 41% decline during 2025.

Between January and September 2025, Novo Nordisk escalated its U.S. advertising spend on GLP-1 therapies, investing an estimated $316 million in Wegovy promotions and $169 million for Ozempic. This 54% and 44% year-over-year increase, respectively, brought total outlays to roughly $487 million—more than double the combined $214 million that rival companies allocated to competing obesity and diabetes treatments. Despite the intensified marketing push following prior supply constraints, rival products now command 60% of the U.S. obesity drug market, according to IQVIA.

Novo Nordisk faces a class action alleging it orchestrated a scheme to delay generic versions of its Type 2 diabetes therapy Victoza in favor of steering patients to Ozempic. The complaint claims reverse-payment agreements with a generic manufacturer postponed generic Victoza launch by at least 16 months, preserving pricing power. Victoza generated over $5 billion in U.S. sales in 2018, and the plaintiffs seek recovery of hundreds of millions in alleged overcharges for Victoza, its generics and Ozempic. The outcome could influence future patent litigation costs and pricing strategies.