Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk expects demand for its weight-loss drugs to continue to outstrip supply despite expanding production capacity, as new trial data supports the view that the obesity treatment has broader health benefits. Sales of the pharmaceutical group’s obesity and diabetes drugs rose 36 percent to nearly $22 billion in the first nine months of the year as patients flocked to the treatment, which offers more significant weight loss than previous drugs.
Chief executive Lars Freuergaard Jørgensen said the company was focused on trying to ensure that patients who start taking drugs like Wegovy can continue to access them, the Financial Times reported.
He explained that the company is “gradually” expanding its production and expects more products to be available next year. “Despite this growth, we still see that demand is outpacing what we can offer,” he said during a call with the media.
Initial data from the trial, published in August, showed that Wegovy reduced the risk of serious heart disease, such as heart attack or stroke, by 20%.
