Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy Pill Boosts Mobility in 8 of 10 Patients as Quarterly Sales Surge Past Expectations

New data reveals oral semaglutide improves mobility in 80% of patients; first-quarter sales double forecasts, boosting stock and prescription share.

For Novo Nordisk, the battle in obesity care is increasingly fought on two fronts: how much weight patients lose and whether that loss translates into tangible everyday function. New clinical data from the ECO2026 congress in Istanbul suggest the Danish drugmaker may have an edge on both counts, just as its oral Wegovy tablet delivers a commercial surprise that has injected fresh momentum into the stock.

The OASIS 4 phase-3 subanalysis showed that nearly 80% of adults with obesity and impaired physical function reported meaningful improvements in mobility after taking the 25-milligram oral semaglutide tablet, compared with placebo. The practical benefits — easier bending, standing comfortably, staying active for longer periods — address a gap that the market increasingly demands. Weight loss alone, Novo Nordisk has found, is no longer enough to differentiate in a crowded field.

Sales beat resets expectations

That clinical narrative now has a strong commercial underpinning. In its first full quarter on the US market, the oral Wegovy pill generated roughly 2.26 billion Danish kroner in revenue — nearly double what analysts had anticipated. All three major US pharmacy benefit managers have already placed the tablet on their standard formularies, on par with the injectable version. Citi raised its price target to 290 kroner while keeping a “Neutral” rating, estimating 2026 pill sales of $2.7 billion against a consensus of $1.7 billion. SB1 Markets went further, boosting its target to 350 kroner with a buy recommendation.

The sales surge helps explain why Wegovy currently commands about 65% of new US prescriptions for obesity medications. Eli Lilly has countered since April with its own oral candidate, Foundayo, but the data from Istanbul suggest Novo still holds the initiative.

Early response sets the pace

The OASIS 4 analysis also reinforced the importance of early weight-loss velocity. Roughly 28.8% of treated patients qualified as early responders, losing at least 10% of their body weight by week 16. That cohort went on to achieve an average weight reduction of 21.6% by week 64. Patients who did not meet the early responder threshold still lost 11.5% on average. Professor W. Timothy Garvey of the University of Alabama at Birmingham noted that such differences in the speed of weight loss help clinicians manage expectations and tailor therapy goals.

Safety data for the oral formulation remained consistent with the established semaglutide profile. The European Medicines Agency and other regulators have yet to approve the tablet; a decision is expected before the end of the year, with first ex-US launches penciled in for the second half of 2026.

High-dose injection and pipeline updates

Alongside the oral data, Novo presented fresh results from the STEP-UP study of a higher-dose injectable Wegovy formulation containing 7.2 milligrams of semaglutide. Early responders in that trial shed an average of 27.7% of their body weight by week 72, with the vast majority of the loss coming from fat while muscle mass was largely preserved. Overall, the high-dose group lost nearly 21% versus roughly 17% with the standard 2.4-milligram dose.

The company also provided updates on CagriSema, the combination therapy that suffered a setback earlier this year when it underperformed against Lilly’s Zepbound in a head-to-head trial. At the Istanbul congress, the REDEFINE-1 program presented data on body composition, muscle strength, and cardiovascular risk. The US Food and Drug Administration is already reviewing a marketing application, with a decision expected in 2026.

Stock recovers but long road remains

The news flow has driven a notable rebound in Novo Nordisk’s shares. The stock closed at €40.23 on Wednesday, up 0.42% on the day and 24.94% over the past month, recovering about 31% from its March low. Yet the broader picture remains challenging: the shares are still down 9.97% year-to-date and 31.33% over twelve months, and they trade below the 200-day moving average of €42.43.

Regulatory disclosures of insider transactions — including shares received as gifts — were also published alongside the clinical updates, a routine filing that does not alter the investment thesis.

What comes next

The ECO congress runs until Friday, May 15, when a head-to-head comparison between oral semaglutide and Lilly’s orforglipron is scheduled. That session could further shape the market-share debate. Novo Nordisk will release half-year results on August 5, with investors watching to see whether the oral pill’s strong start can be sustained and how quickly the high-dose injection can gain regulatory traction. The oral Wegovy’s approval decision remains the next concrete catalyst — one that would give Novo a second delivery format in the fight for obesity patients, provided the clinical promise translates into commercial momentum.