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Image source: Getty Images.<\/p>\n
Novo Nordisk is working to get back on top<\/p>\n
The healthcare industry<\/a> is highly innovative and highly competitive. It isn’t surprising at all that Novo Nordisk’s early success in the GLP-1 weight-loss niche didn’t last. But the fact that Eli Lilly introduced a more desirable GLP-1 product should not be taken as an indication that it has a permanent lead.<\/p>\n One of the big problems with early GLP-1 weight-loss drugs<\/a> is the delivery method. Shots are not something that most people like to take, let alone give to themselves on a weekly basis. Which is why both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk were working on daily pills. Novo Nordisk was, again, first to market with a pill version of Wegovy. The uptake of this version of the drug has been strong, as you might expect.<\/p>\n Eli Lilly has since introduced its own GLP-1 pill. However, that pill delivers a different GLP-1 drug, known as Foundayo. That means Eli Lilly can’t lean as heavily on its success with Zepbound\/Mounjaro when marketing Foundayo. It has to introduce an entirely new drug, which is a much more difficult process. Novo Nordisk is in an advantaged position, for now.<\/p>\n Novo Nordisk leans into convenience<\/p>\n The difference between a shot and a pill is pretty big. While a daily pill may require more frequent dosing, it is likely to be seen as much more convenient than a weekly shot. But Novo Nordisk isn’t done yet. It inked a deal with Vivani Medical to explore an implant that will automatically administer Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.<\/p>\n Research on this delivery method is still in its early stages, but it could mean patients only need to manage their GLP-1 drugs once or twice a year. That would take convenience to the next level and could totally change the dynamics of the GLP-1 race. At this point, it doesn’t appear that Eli Lilly is working on anything similar.<\/p>\n It is too early to suggest that Novo Nordisk has found the tool it needs to regain the GLP-1 lead. But in the highly innovative pharmaceutical sector, it is clearly working hard to differentiate its weight-loss offerings. The more choices patients have with Wegovy, the more ways Novo Nordisk has to catch up to Eli Lilly.<\/p>\n Eli Lilly isn’t sitting still; it’s moving in a different direction<\/p>\n For its part, Eli Lilly has been using its GLP-1 success to expand its business into new treatment areas. That may sound like a mistake as Novo Nordisk leans into the hot GLP-1 niche, but it really isn’t. In the second quarter of 2026, GLP-1 drugs accounted for roughly two-thirds of Eli Lilly’s revenue. From a strategic standpoint, focusing on diversification is a good plan.<\/p>\n Still, Novo Nordisk’s continued innovation in the GLP-1 space could give it a chance to regain the lead. And that’s something that investors shouldn’t ignore, noting that Eli Lilly’s price-to-earnings ratio is 40x compared to Novo Nordisk’s 11.5x. The underdog here looks relatively cheap, but it also isn’t out of the fight yet.<\/p>\n Should you buy stock in Novo Nordisk right now?<\/p>\n Before you buy stock in\u00a0Novo Nordisk, consider this:<\/p>\n The Motley Fool\u00a0Stock Advisor\u00a0analyst team just identified what they believe are the\u00a010 best stocks<\/a>\u00a0for investors to buy now\u2026 and\u00a0Novo Nordisk\u00a0wasn’t one of them.\u00a0The 10 stocks that made the cut are built for long-term growth and could produce monster returns in the coming years.<\/p>\n Consider when\u00a0Netflix\u00a0made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation,\u00a0you’d have $440,710!*\u00a0Or\u00a0when\u00a0Nvidia\u00a0made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation,\u00a0you’d have $1,335,252!*<\/p>\n That performance is why people listen. With a track record of\u00a0beating the S&P 500 by nearly 5x,\u00a0Stock Advisor\u00a0offers a distinct advantage. Don’t miss the latest top 10 list, available with\u00a0Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built for the long haul.<\/p>\n See the 10 stocks \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n *Stock Advisor returns as of August 29, 2026.<\/p>\n Reuben Gregg Brewer<\/a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n