Novo Nordisk forecasts flat 2026 sales as Wegovy pill beats estimates

· Health · Denmark · United States

Novo Nordisk said 2026 sales would grow between 2% and flat, a modest outlook that counts as an upgrade for the company, Endpoints News reported, as its finance chief departs. In the third quarter, sales of its Wegovy pill came in well above Wall Street consensus, widening Novo's early edge over Eli Lilly in the pill form of weight-loss medicines, according to BioPharma Dive. Novo also said it won't launch its obesity drug CagriSema in Europe for another couple of years, outgoing CFO Karsten Munk Knudsen told Endpoints News. The results come as the Lilly rivalry, once the industry's fiercest, looks increasingly one-sided to investors.

Why it matters：The obesity duopoly's pill race and Novo's cautious guidance will reset expectations for the fastest-growing segment of pharma.

Key points

  • 2026 sales growth guided to roughly flat to 2%
  • Wegovy pill quarterly sales topped consensus
  • CagriSema's European launch pushed out a couple of years

Sources (original reporting)

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