Novo Nordisk Lifts 2026 Guidance as Oral Wegovy Tops 5 Million US Scripts, Secures EU Approvals

Novo Nordisk profit guidance has been revised upward following robust second-quarter results driven by the company’s expanding GLP-1 portfolio. Novo Nordisk recorded adjusted operating profit of DKK 33,389 million after constant exchange rate calculations and the exclusion of one-time items such as prior-year rebate reversals. The company simultaneously lifted its full-year guidance for both adjusted sales and adjusted operating profit to a range of 0 percent to negative 6 percent at constant exchange rates, citing stronger expectations for glucagon-like peptide-1 therapies. These revisions reflect the net effect of volume increases in obesity care offset by impairment charges and prior provision adjustments.

Novo Nordisk Profit Guidance Adjustments

Performance metrics distinguish reported results from adjusted figures by removing the distorting impact of a DKK 2.6 billion rebate provision reversal recorded in the prior-year quarter and by applying constant exchange rate translations to isolate underlying volume and price movements. Impairment charges totaling DKK 6.3 billion, including DKK 4.0 billion for monlunabant, are likewise excluded from adjusted operating profit to focus on recurring operations. This approach produces an 11 percent constant exchange rate increase in adjusted operating profit for the quarter while reported operating profit declined 16 percent at constant exchange rates. Analysts note that such adjustments help investors better assess the sustainability of growth in high-demand therapeutic areas amid evolving regulatory landscapes.

Regional Sales Trends in Obesity and Diabetes Care

Adjusted sales in obesity care reached DKK 44,064 million for the first half of 2026 at constant exchange rates, representing 19 percent growth, whereas diabetes care sales fell 5 percent to DKK 95,365 million over the same period. United States operations contributed DKK 40,869 million in adjusted sales with 4 percent constant exchange rate growth, while International Operations posted DKK 37,619 million and 10 percent constant exchange rate growth, led by a 17 percent increase in the EUCAN region. Weekly United States prescriptions for the Wegovy franchise exceeded 575,000 by mid-July, with the oral formulation alone surpassing 265,000 and accumulating more than 5 million prescriptions since launch. These patterns underscore shifting patient preferences toward convenient oral options and highlight the role of telehealth partnerships in expanding reach.

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Pricing Reforms Shaping Patient Access Pathways

List prices for Wegovy and Ozempic will decline approximately 50 percent and 35 percent respectively effective January 2027, coinciding with a most-favored-nation agreement intended to broaden Medicare Part D coverage through a pilot bridge program. Self-pay pricing for the oral Wegovy formulation has been set between USD 149 and 299 per month, supported by availability at more than 70,000 pharmacies and subscription arrangements with multiple telehealth providers. These measures, alongside planned formulary additions by major pharmacy benefit managers from October 2026, directly affect net pricing assumptions and patient access pathways used in health economic evaluations. Industry observers expect the changes to improve adherence rates while pressuring competitors to accelerate their own pipeline developments in the GLP-1 space. Overall, the updates signal sustained momentum for Novo Nordisk profit guidance amid broader healthcare cost-containment efforts.