Novo Nordisk reported a 19% year-over-year increase in sales of its diabetes and obesity medications in the first quarter of 2025. with Obesity care revenues jumping 67% YoY to DKK 18.4 billion, driven primarily by Wegovy and Ozempic

The company revised its full-year growth outlook to 13–21% (at constant exchange rates) due to U.S. branded GLP1 penetration being affected by compounded alternatives, though operating profit is still expected to rise 16–24%

Novo data presented at ECO 2025 indicates semaglutide offers cardiovascular protection even before significant weight loss, positioning it as a multifaceted therapeutic tool

The oral Semaglutide's indication for type 2 diabetes has been approved in the United States and China, marketed under the names Rybelsus and Novoxin, respectively. In the first half of 2024, the drug achieved sales of 1.6 billion USD. As the only approved oral GLP-1 drug, oral Semaglutide offers the convenience of oral administration. However, compared to injectable formulations, oral GLP-1 drugs require higher doses, thus necessitating greater attention to safety and tolerability issues.

In the field of blood sugar reduction and weight loss, the pace of product iteration around the GLP-1 target is very fast, and competition is fierce. The development trend is moving from daily formulations to weekly or even monthly formulations, from injections to oral formulations, and from single-target to multi-target products, aiming to improve blood sugar reduction and weight loss effects while balancing drug safety and tolerability, enhancing patient compliance, and exploring more clinical benefits.

Novo Nordisk is also developing other GLP-1 related products, including a GLP-1/GIP dual-target weekly formulation and a GLP1R/AMYR dual-target compound preparation CagriSema, as well as a long-acting GLP1R and amylin agonist Amycretin. Phase 3 clinical studies for CagriSema are underway, and Phase 1 clinical results for Amycretin showed an average weight loss of 13.1% after 12 weeks of treatment.

Eli Lilly's Tirzepatide is the only approved dual-target GIPR/GLP-1R agonist worldwide, with sales reaching 6.658 billion USD in the first half of 2024. In addition, Eli Lilly is developing a GLP1R/GCGR/GIPR triple-target product Retatrutide, which is currently in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. Other companies, such as Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim, are also developing GLP-1 targeted drugs, some of which have entered the later stages of clinical trials.

Semaglutide has rapidly transformed from a niche diabetes treatment into a global obesity management powerhouse. With blockbuster sales and robust clinical data, it is reshaping prescription habits, healthcare economics, and even societal behavior. However, real-world adherence, competitive pressures, and evolving regulation mean the journey ahead will test its staying power in the long run.