Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.
Novo Nordisk's (NYSE:NVO) oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug Wegovy pill continues to outsell Eli Lilly's recently launched competing tablet, but weekly prescription growth is slowing as the market absorbs a new entrant, according to the latest tracking data. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, refers to a class of drugs that mimic a gut hormone to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar, and has become the most hotly contested space in global pharmaceuticals.
We also report on two studies with findings that could bring eventual relief for patients still struggling with long COVID symptoms.
That means millions more Americans may get access to Lilly's new GLP-1 pill Foundayo or the GLP-1 injection Zepbound.
Novo Nordisk's (NYSE:NVO) investor relations team presented at Deutsche Bank's European Champions Conference, with the broker maintaining its hold rating and DKK290 target price on the Danish pharma group. The key takeaway concerned the launch of Novo's oral semaglutide product, where the company confirmed that dose escalation patterns are not yet mirroring the trajectory seen with its injectable formulations.
Despite Wall Street skepticism, Novo Nordisk A/S is starting to catch up with Eli Lilly, the market leader in the GLP-1s market. This skepticism mainly reflects declining demand for Ozempic, as well as the weak performance of its long-acting insulin franchise. So, sales of Ozempic fell 12.6% quarter-on-quarter and 15% YoY to about DKK 27.83 billion in Q1.
Health tech startup Signos announced a $20 million funding round and expanded its partnership with medical device giant Dexcom. Signos makes an AI-powered glucose monitoring system designed to help with healthy weight loss, the first of its kind to be cleared by the FDA in 2025.
Citi said Eli Lilly and Co's (NYSE:LLY) experimental obesity drug retatrutide has set a new competitive benchmark for the GLP-1 weight-loss market after a pivotal trial showed patients losing 28% of their body weight over 80 weeks at the highest dose. The results from the TRIUMPH-1 trial, the first dedicated phase III obesity study of the triple agonist drug, were broadly in line with the previously reported TRIUMPH-4 trial in obesity and knee osteoarthritis patients, which showed 28.7% weight loss at 68 weeks.
Shares of Eli Lilly and Company NYSE: LLY, the world's most valuable pharmaceutical stock, started 2026 in a bad way. Near the end of April, LLY shares had fallen as much as 20%.
Deutsche Bank has maintained its 'hold' rating on Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) with a price target of DKK290 after hosting the Danish drugmaker's head of research and development, Martin Lange. Analyst Emmanuel Papadakis said the key takeaway was that Novo is cautiously optimistic its cagrisema RD11 obesity study will yield a better result than the earlier RD4 trial, which disappointed markets when data was released.
I rated Novo Nordisk a Buy, trading at deep value after a 70% selloff and currently at ~10x trailing earnings. NVO's pipeline, including high-dose Wegovy, zenagamtide, and UBT251, positions it closer to Eli Lilly than market sentiment suggests. Despite pricing and clinical setbacks, the company's stable revenue outlook and potential P/E re-rating support mid-teens annualized returns through 2030.
Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.