Novo Nordisk

What Novo Nordisk does

Novo Nordisk is a Danish-founded global pharmaceutical company with a 100+ year heritage in diabetes care, headquartered in Bagsværd, Denmark, with its US headquarters in Plainsboro, New Jersey. The company develops and manufactures medicines and devices targeting diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and rare chronic conditions, operating in approximately 80 countries with a global workforce of about 67,900 employees (10,000 in the United States). Its core technology is centered on semaglutide, a proprietary GLP-1 receptor agonist marketed as Ozempic (Type 2 diabetes), Wegovy (chronic weight management, in both injectable and oral formulations), and Rybelsus (oral diabetes). The portfolio extends to Awiqli, the first once-weekly basal insulin (insulin icodec), and pipeline assets including CagriSema (cagrilintide + semaglutide combination) and UBT251 (triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon agonist), supported by extensive clinical evidence across SELECT, STEP, ESSENCE, OASIS, and REIMAGINE trials.

The company generates revenue primarily through pharmaceutical product sales distributed via 70,000+ US pharmacies, its own NovoCare Pharmacy, retail chains such as CVS and Costco, telehealth platforms (notably Hims & Hers under a March 2026 partnership serving 418,000 GLP-1 users), and employer health platforms (eMed/Cost Plus Drugs). The semaglutide franchise alone generated $36.19 billion in 2025 global sales. Pricing is tiered across payer channels — commercial insurance patients access Wegovy for as low as $25/month via savings programs, Medicare beneficiaries pay a $50 copay under the GLP-1 Bridge starting July 1, 2026, and Hims & Hers offers oral Wegovy starting at $149/month. Go-to-market combines heavy direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising (approximately $201 million in 2024), enterprise field sales to healthcare providers, and patient affordability programs.

The business is structured as a Danish public limited company (Novo Nordisk A/S, NYSE: NVO) with controlling ownership by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a nonprofit entity. Recent strategic moves include the January 2026 launch of oral Wegovy (3 million prescriptions within five months), March 2026 FDA approvals for Wegovy HD and Awiqli, and a €432 million manufacturing expansion in Athlone, Ireland for oral GLP-1 production. The company is facing intensifying competition from Eli Lilly's tirzepatide franchise, generic semaglutide entry in India, FDA warning letters regarding adverse event reporting and advertising compliance, and a 2026 revenue forecast of up to 13% decline, despite continued product-level momentum.

Name

Novo Nordisk

Legal name

Novo Nordisk Inc.

Website

https://novonordisk-us.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Novo Nordisk is a Danish-founded global pharmaceutical company that develops and markets semaglutide-based GLP-1 therapies (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and other diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic medicines, serving patients across approximately 80 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Products

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiometabolic Pharmaceuticals (Cardiovascular/Diabetes/Obesity) (HLAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diabetes (General) (HLAKADAA), Primary Care & General Medicine Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAA), Cardiology & Vascular Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAG)

Keywords

• Diabetes medications
• Obesity treatments
• GLP-1 therapies
• Insulin products
• Cardiometabolic drugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Plainsboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Novo Nordisk generates revenue primarily through the sale of proprietary GLP-1 based medicines including Ozempic, Wegovy, Wegovy HD, oral Wegovy (Wegovy pill), Rybelsus, and insulin products such as Awiqli. Revenue is generated through wholesale distribution to pharmacies, direct sales to healthcare providers, and pharmacy fulfillment channels including NovoCare Pharmacy. In 2025, the semaglutide franchise (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) totaled $36.19 billion globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Novo Nordisk develops, manufactures, and markets GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines (semaglutide-based products Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy injection and oral tablets for obesity and cardiovascular risk reduction, and Rybelsus as an oral formulation), once-weekly basal insulin (Awiqli/insulin icodec), and pipeline combination therapies (CagriSema). The company distributes these pharmaceutical products through its own NovoCare Pharmacy, 70,000+ US pharmacies, telehealth partners, and employer health platforms across approximately 80 countries.

Product overview

Novo Nordisk is a global pharmaceutical company with a 100+ year heritage in diabetes care, now a leader in the GLP-1 obesity drug market. The company's core product portfolio centers on semaglutide-based medications: Wegovy (injection and oral tablets) for obesity and cardiovascular risk reduction, and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes. In March 2026, Novo Nordisk launched Awiqli, the first once-weekly basal insulin. The company is advancing CagriSema (cagrilintide + semaglutide combination) through FDA review for weight management, with a decision expected Q4 2026. Novo Nordisk operates manufacturing facilities in Ireland and the US, with a significant investment ($432M) expanding oral GLP-1 production capacity in Athlone, Ireland. The company distributes products through pharmacies including CVS, Costco, and GoodRx, as well as telehealth partners and NovoCare Pharmacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wegovy: Semaglutide injection and oral tablets for chronic weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction
• Ozempic
• Rybelsus
• Awiqli
• CagriSema
• NovoCare Pharmacy

Products and services

• Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Once-weekly injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist (semaglutide) approved for adults with Type 2 diabetes to improve glycemic control, also producing weight loss as a secondary effect. Prescribed by healthcare providers and dispensed through pharmacies.
• Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Once-weekly injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist (semaglutide 2.4 mg) approved for chronic weight management in adults and children aged 12+, and for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and obesity/overweight.
• Wegovy (oral semaglutide tablets) Once-daily oral tablet formulation of semaglutide 25 mg, representing the first oral GLP-1 therapy for weight management. Approved to reduce cardiovascular events in adults with obesity and known heart disease, broadening access for patients who cannot or prefer not to inject.
• Wegovy HD (semaglutide 7.2 mg injection) Higher-dose once-weekly injectable formulation of semaglutide (7.2 mg) approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related comorbidities. Approximately 21% average body weight loss in clinical trials, with about 31% of participants achieving ≥25% body weight loss.
• Rybelsus (oral semaglutide)

Quantifiable outcome

• Wegovy HD achieved approximately 21% average body weight loss at 72 weeks in the STEP UP trial, with about 31% of participants achieving ≥25% body weight loss.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mars, IncorporatedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Mars CEO Poul Weihrauch was appointed as a board observer at Novo Nordisk for the 2026/2027 term, with plans to nominate him for election as a full board member at the 2027 AGM. The appointment was made to benefit from Weihrauch's sector knowledge and global leadership experience in consumer markets. The move reflects growing food industry concerns that GLP-1 medications, which suppress appetite, could have a structural impact on demand for snacks and confectionery products.
• eMed Population HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 March 2026eMed announced a collaboration under which eMed's employer customers will have their GLP-1 medication needs fulfilled through Cost Plus Drugs, positioning both companies as partners fighting for the lowest price possible. This helps Novo Nordisk access employer-sponsored health plan populations.
• Cost Plus Drugs (Mark Cuban's Company)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 March 2026Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs pharmacy benefit manager platform fulfills GLP-1 prescriptions for eMed's employer customers, in collaboration with eMed. The partnership positions both companies as allies focused on providing lower-cost medications to patients and employer health plans.
• Hims & Hers HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 March 2026Novo Nordisk and Hims & Hers Health settled their legal dispute and entered a new partnership allowing Hims to sell Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy GLP-1 medications on its telehealth platform. Under the deal, Hims stopped advertising compounded GLP-1 drugs and Novo dropped its patent infringement lawsuit. The partnership gives Novo Nordisk access to Hims' telehealth customer base of over 418,000 GLP-1 users and helps build sales momentum for the newly launched oral Wegovy formulation. Novo retains the right to refile the lawsuit in the future.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AstraZeneca: Global pharmaceutical incumbent with Farxiga (dapagliflozin) for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular outcomes, plus emerging obesity pipeline. Competes with Novo in T2D and CV risk reduction, with growing overlap in cardiometabolic care.
• Boehringer Ingelheim: Major pharmaceutical player with diabetes franchise (Jardiance/empagliflozin co-marketed with Lilly) and cardiometabolic focus. Competitor in T2D and CV outcomes through SGLT2 inhibitor class, partially overlapping with Novo's diabetes portfolio.
• Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical incumbent with substantial cardiometabolic and primary care presence. While Pfizer lacks a competitive GLP-1, it competes broadly in diabetes and obesity-adjacent therapeutic areas.
• Merck & Co. Global pharmaceutical incumbent whose Keytruda ($31.68B in 2025) was the third-largest drug globally and narrowly trails Novo's semaglutide franchise. While not directly competing in GLP-1, Merck is a peer in the broader top-tier pharma landscape.
• Sanofi: Major pharmaceutical incumbent with significant diabetes franchise (Lantus/insulin glargine, Toujeo) and emerging obesity pipeline. Competes with Novo Nordisk in basal insulin and broader cardiometabolic space, though lacks a competitive GLP-1.
• Roche: Global pharmaceutical incumbent with broad cardiometabolic and primary care presence. While not a direct GLP-1 competitor, Roche competes in adjacent chronic disease categories and represents a peer in the top-tier global pharma landscape.
• Amgen: Major biotech with MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), a GLP-1/GIP dual agonist in phase 3 for obesity, providing direct competitive pressure on Novo Nordisk's semaglutide franchise in the cardiometabolic space.

Direct peers

• Eli Lilly and Company: Direct competitor in the GLP-1 obesity and diabetes market through tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), which has already surpassed Novo Nordisk's semaglutide franchise in 2025 sales. Lilly is the principal head-to-head competitor in both Type 2 diabetes and obesity indications.

Emerging players

• Structure Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing oral small-molecule GLP-1 agonists (GSBR-1290) for obesity and diabetes. Directly competitive with Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy in the oral GLP-1 space.
• Viking Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing VK2735, an oral and injectable GLP-1/GIP dual agonist for obesity, with phase 2 data showing competitive weight loss. Emerging direct competitor to Novo Nordisk's semaglutide franchise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/novonordisk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/novonordisk
• Facebookfacebook.com/NovoNordiskUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk
• Instagraminstagram.com/novonordiskus

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Novo Nordisk