I am so inspired by the many people seeking to treat obesity, grateful to the scientists, healthcare professionals and advocates who have been with us on this journey and struck by how far our work at Novo Nordisk has come. For more than 30 years, we have been dedicated to a vital truth: Obesity is a complex, chronic disease. Today, that legacy of understanding and innovation continues to change the lives of millions.

At the heart of this innovation are GLP-1s – true marvels of modern science. And in the GLP-1 space, we’re proud of our unique molecule, semaglutide, which provides systemic impact. It addresses the ‘whole patient’ as a highly efficacious weight-loss medication with added benefits across other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. The approved uses for our semaglutide medicines, in totality, represent the broadest clinical profile across the GLP-1 class.

Novo Nordisk introduced the first injectable GLP-1 medication for weight management in 2015, which showed an average weight loss of approximately 8% when taken daily. We then introduced a more effective product taken once weekly, which showed around 17% weight loss when taken as prescribed.

But we didn’t stop there. We understood that for medication to be truly life-changing, it needed to fit seamlessly into different lifestyles and preferences. Our scientists did what some thought impossible: they put a ‘peptide in a pill’ and created the world’s first FDA-approved GLP-1 pill for weight management.

And not only did we put a peptide in a pill, but we also did so without compromising efficacy. This innovation has drawn significant interest, and recently, there have been some misconceptions about our obesity pill. It is important to set the record straight.

One of our clinical trials showed that when people stayed on our obesity pill, they achieved an average weight loss of around 17% by the end of the 52-week study. Our obesity pill has the highest weight loss of any oral GLP-1 pill and the most ever seen in a clinical trial programme. So far, other products have only shown weight loss of around 12% when everyone stayed on their medications. Our obesity pill is the most effective FDA-approved GLP-1 pill for weight loss.

Now, there are more than 500,000 prescriptions for people who have already taken our obesity pill in the US, in less than two months on the market. We also have a diabetes pill that millions of people with diabetes across the world have used. We are removing traditional barriers to care and empowering people to take control of their health on their terms.

For too long, the conversation around weight has been clouded by misconception. Let me be clear: Obesity is not a choice. It is a multifaceted metabolic chronic disease that affects each person differently. This reality is what drives us to work tirelessly – constantly evolving our approach to work for real people, with real lives, facing the real challenges of obesity every day. And we are not going anywhere. We have been making medicines for more than 100 years, and obesity treatment is a core focus at Novo Nordisk. As we look towards tomorrow, let us celebrate the progress we’ve made and a future where people living with obesity live their best lives.

With gratitude,

Mike Doustdar
President & CEO, Novo Nordisk