Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk post strong international weight-loss drug growth
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 7
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk post strong international weight-loss drug growth
9 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 7
Lilly said international Mounjaro sales reached $4.4bn in the quarter, while Novo reported 44% first-quarter international obesity-drug sales growth versus 9% in the US.
Both companies have launched in more than 50 countries, with Lilly citing strong demand in Brazil, the UK, Korea and China as supply constraints ease.
Executives say vast unmet demand abroad is driving growth despite lower prices, cash-pay markets and generic semaglutide in countries including Brazil and India.
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In Q1 2026, Novo Nordisk launched its oral Wegovy pill in the U.S., achieving over 2 million prescriptions and $354 million in sales, which led to an upward revision of its financial guidance. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly reported a 56% revenue increase, driven by strong sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound, and launched its oral GLP-1 therapy, Foundayo, in April 2026. Foundayo's early uptake lagged behind Wegovy due to later launch timing and brand-building challenges, but it attracted many new patients. Both companies are investing heavily in manufacturing expansions—Novo in Ireland and Lilly in China—to support global growth. The market is rapidly expanding, fueled by patient preference for oral treatments and next-generation therapies, despite pricing pressures and competitive challenges.