Bloomberg Talks Novo Nordisk President and CEO Mike Doustdar Talks Wegovy Pill
Dec 23, 2025
Mike Doustdar, the CEO of Novo Nordisk, shares insights on the recent US approval of the Wegovy weight-loss pill, emphasizing its first-mover advantage. He discusses how the pill’s efficacy data compares with competitors and the strategic rollout plans involving various sales channels. Doustdar addresses supply concerns, highlighting R&D breakthroughs that ensure production scalability and affordability. He also touches on the potential market expansion by attracting patients who prefer pills over injections, and the company's ambitions for growth through acquisitions.
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Pill Matches Injection Efficacy
- Novo Nordisk claims its Wegovy pill achieves about 17% weight loss when taken regularly and one in three may reach ~20% loss.
- The company presents first-to-market oral GLP-1 efficacy as a major advantage for millions of patients.
No Tradeoff Between Pill And Injection
- Doustdar emphasizes no phase‑three oral GLP‑1 trial has shown this efficacy before, eliminating the tradeoff between convenience and effectiveness.
- He highlights Wegovy pill offers the same 17% efficacy as injections plus a decade of safety data backing cardiovascular benefit.
Launch Through All Channels
- Novo Nordisk will sell Wegovy through its Novocare Pharmacy, partners like Ro, LifeMD, Costco, WeightWatchers and traditional channels at launch.
- The company advises providers and retailers to prepare for simultaneous wide availability on day one.