Novo's Wegovy pill hits over 18,000 US prescriptions in strong debut week

By Sriparna Roy

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy pill was prescribed more than 18,000 times in the U.S. in the first full week after its launch in an encouraging start to the oral weight-loss drug race, according to analysts who cited IQVIA data.

Investors are closely watching prescriptions data to see if the Danish drugmaker can press its first-mover advantage against rival Eli Lilly LLY.N in a competitive weight-loss market.

Oral obesity treatments offer patients greater flexibility and a needle-free alternative, although injectable medications are still expected to dominate for years to come.

At least two analysts said the prescription data signals robust early uptake and was tracking ahead of launches of other GLP-1s, as drugmakers shift towards cash-pay consumer models.

"The early oral Wegovy launch data is very strong, albeit in a now far better established obesity market versus building the obesity market," Barclays analyst James Gordon said.

TRACKING AHEAD OF OTHER GLP-1 LAUNCHES

Novo's pill was prescribed 18,410 times in the week ended January 16, which analysts said was a stronger debut than the launches of Novo's injectable Wegovy and Lilly's Zepbound, though they noted that the market has matured significantly since those drugs first rolled out.

The pill hit 3,071 U.S. prescriptions in the first four days after its launch on January 5, according to IQVIA data. The firm did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Novo, under a new CEO who took over last year, is banking on the pill version of its blockbuster Wegovy treatment to draw new consumers as it works to regain momentum against Lilly, after profit warnings and slowing growth weighed on its shares last year.

Novo's shares have been rising steadily since the turn of the year, up around 25% in January. The stock rose 2.5% on Friday to hit its highest level since late July, when CEO Mike Doustdar took over amid sliding sales.

ENCOURAGING FOR LILLY'S PILL

The Wegovy pill's success will hinge on how effectively Novo can win over U.S. consumers willing to pay out of pocket, marking a sharp break from the typical model in which uptake is correlated with insurance coverage.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision on Lilly's experimental pill orforglipron by April.

"We think the early oral Wegovy launch is directionally encouraging for orfo," said Jefferies analyst Akash Tewari.