LONDON — Novo Nordisk said Wednesday that it had started to increase the availability of its blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy for new patients in the United States, after massive demand and a supply crunch had led it to limit such doses last May.
The announcement that Novo was making more of its lower-dose starter product available as of this month came as the company reported its 2023 earnings, with sales up by 36% and operating profit up 44% at constant exchange rates, driven by massive sales of Wegovy and Ozempic, the company’s sister drug for diabetes. The company also projected double-digit growth in sales and operating profit for 2024.
“I am pleased to state that we are now enabling more new U.S. patients to initiate treatment by more than doubling the amount of lower-dose strength Wegovy compared to previous months,” Novo CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen said on a call with reporters.