Key Takeaways Novo Nordisk launched Awiqli, the first once-weekly basal insulin for adults with T2D in the United States.Awiqli’s weekly dosing can drive physician adoption & patient uptake, supporting incremental diabetes growth.Novo Nordisk faces rising competition as Lilly’s GLP-1 portfolio gains share across diabetes and obesity.
Novo Nordisk (NVO Quick QuoteNVO – Free Report) recently launched Awiqli (insulin icodec-abae) in the United States, introducing the first once-weekly basal insulin for adults with type II diabetes (T2D). The FDA approved Awiqli in March, and Novo Nordisk made the treatment available nationwide earlier in August. The therapy is designed to reduce the frequency of basal insulin injections from seven to one per week, offering patients a more convenient alternative to the daily dosing regimen.
The U.S. launch comes at an important time for Novo Nordisk as the company looks to diversify its diabetes franchise amid mounting pressure on its core GLP-1 products. Ozempic (for T2D) and Wegovy (for obesity) remain the primary drivers of the business, but both are facing slower growth, pricing pressure and intensifying competition from arch-rival Eli Lilly (LLY Quick QuoteLLY – Free Report) . Awiqli allows NVO to leverage its established diabetes expertise in a different product category and potentially create an incremental source of volume growth.
The U.S. commercial opportunity will depend largely on whether the convenience of weekly dosing can translate into meaningful physician adoption and patient uptake, which could help Novo Nordisk expand within this market. Basal insulin remains an established treatment option for people with diabetes, and reducing injection frequency could appeal to patients seeking a less burdensome treatment routine. Awiqli’s early prescription trends, reimbursement coverage and physician adoption will therefore be important indicators of its long-term commercial potential. Outside the United States, Awiqli is already approved in the EU and 13 additional countries with market-specific indications for diabetes.
NVO Faces Rising Competitive Pressure From Lilly
Eli Lilly remains Novo Nordisk’s most important competitor in the diabetes market, with Mounjaro (for T2D and a direct competitor to Ozempic) continuing to gain share against the latter’s established GLP-1 therapies. Lilly’s second-quarter 2026 results showed worldwide Mounjaro revenues rising 91% to $9.94 billion, with U.S. revenues increasing 45% and international revenues climbing 172%. Lilly also reported that Mounjaro and Zepbound (for obesity and a direct competitor to Wegovy) were the primary drivers of its 48% second-quarter total revenue growth.
Eli Lilly is also expanding its cardiometabolic portfolio beyond its existing blockbusters. Foundayo, its newly launched oral GLP-1 for obesity, generated $98 million in the second quarter and directly competes with Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy, which currently has an early lead following its earlier launch. However, Lilly is rapidly expanding Foundayo’s access, and there is no guarantee that Novo Nordisk will maintain its lead as the oral obesity market develops. LLY is also advancing retatrutide as a next-generation obesity and diabetes therapy in late-stage studies.
Against this backdrop, the U.S. launch of Awiqli could provide some incremental revenue support by adding another diabetes option to Novo Nordisk’s portfolio, building on its availability in several other geographies. However, its impact is likely to remain modest relative to NVO’s much larger GLP-1 franchise. As a result, Awiqli may help cushion near-term pressure on NVO’s diabetes business, but is unlikely to materially alter the company’s overall growth trajectory.
NVO Faces Rising Competitive Pressure Beyond LLY in GLP-1s
While Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly currently dominate this space, smaller biotechs like Structure Therapeutics (GPCR Quick QuoteGPCR – Free Report) and Viking Therapeutics (VKTX Quick QuoteVKTX – Free Report) are also advancing GLP-1–based therapies for treating obesity.
Viking Therapeutics’ dual GIPR/GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA), VK2735, is being developed in both oral and subcutaneous formulations for the treatment of obesity. Viking Therapeutics plans to advance oral VK2735 into phase III development for obesity in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Structure Therapeutics’ phase II ACCESS program on its orally administered small molecule GLP-1 RA, aleniglipron, demonstrated significant weight loss across all doses. Based on such encouraging results, Structure Therapeutics has initiated dosing patients in its late-stage ACCOMPLISHprogram to evaluate aleniglipron for chronic weight management.
NVO’s Stock Price, Valuation & Estimates
Year to date, Novo Nordisk shares have lost 8.6% against the industry’s 14.8% growth. The company has also underperformed the sector and the S&P 500 during the same time frame, as seen in the chart below.
NVO Stock Underperforms the Industry, Sector & the S&P 500
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Novo Nordisk is trading at a discount to the industry, as seen in the chart below. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 13.72 forward earnings, which is lower than 18.99 for the industry. The stock is trading much below its five-year mean of 29.14.
NVO Stock Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings estimates for 2026 have increased from $3.39 per share to $3.41 per share over the past 30 days. During the same time frame, Novo Nordisk’s 2027 earnings estimates have remained constant at $3.27.
NVO Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Novo Nordisk currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.