Novo Nordisk Drops 3.84% Amid Mixed Trial Data, Strategic Moves

On April 10, 2025, Novo Nordisk's stock experienced a 3.84% drop in pre-market trading, reflecting the market's response to recent developments and strategic moves within the pharmaceutical industry.

Novo Nordisk recently announced the second key trial data for its combination drug CagriSema, which includes semaglutide and cagrilintide. The results showed an average weight loss of 15.7%, although this was lower than the 22.7% achieved in the first trial. This news, coupled with the company's $20 billion deal with Federal Therapeutics for the global rights to UBT251, a GLP-1/GIP/GCG triple agonist, highlights Novo Nordisk's aggressive strategy in the GLP-1 market.

The company is also focusing on improving the tolerability of its GLP-1 drugs. Novo Nordisk has implemented a tiered dosing strategy for semaglutide, starting at 0.25mg and gradually increasing to 2.4mg, to help patients adapt to the medication and reduce initial side effects. Additionally, the company is exploring combination therapies and new molecular designs to enhance the safety and efficacy of its GLP-1 drugs.

Novo Nordisk's efforts in developing oral GLP-1 drugs, such as Rybelsus, which uses the SNAC delivery system to enhance absorption, and Orforglipron, a small molecule non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Eli Lilly, demonstrate the company's commitment to innovation in drug delivery. These advancements aim to improve patient compliance and convenience, addressing the challenges of traditional injectable formulations.