In other news, Novo Nordisk announced the results from its phase 3b STEP UP semaglutide trial today. Specifically, the company said semaglutide 7.2 milligram (mg) injections over a 72-week period resulted in an average weight loss of 20.7%, better than the 17.5% weight loss achieved in a prior trial of semaglutide 2.4 mg injections.

Novo Nordisk said a higher dose of its drug Wegovy led to greater weight loss in patients during a late-stage trial, but the results fell short of the weight loss achieved with Eli Lilly's rival drug Zepbound,

Medicare released its next target list of 15 drugs to negotiate prices of, including Novo Nordisk's blockbuster GLP-1 drugs.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had summoned business leaders after speaking on Wednesday with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who last week refused to rule out military or economic action to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark that is strategically important to Washington.

Luxury bellwether regains crown as drugmaker slips on concerns it will have to cut weight loss medication prices in US

Novo Nordisk's shares plummeted due to disappointing trial results for CagriSema, with patients achieving only 22.7% weight loss versus the anticipated 25%.

In the ongoing quest to expand semaglutide’s clinical pedigree and cement the GLP-1's market position, Novo Nordisk is rolling out new data on a higher-dose injection in obesity. | In the phase 3b STEP UP study,

Turning to 2025 guidance, Lilly noted that new medicines and new uses of existing medicines, expansion of production, and global expansion of sales of its diabetes and weight loss drugs should all add up to strong, 32% sales growth in the new year. The company forecasts 2025 sales of $58 billion to $61 billion.

Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Wegovy are among the 15 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations for 2027, the U.S. government said on Friday.

Novo Nordisk said patients taking a bigger dose of its blockbuster obesity drug lost more weight than those on a lower dose, without experiencing an increase in side-effects.

The U.S. government has selected the second batch of drugs up for Medicare price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. | The U.S. government has selected the second batch of drugs up for Medicare price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act.