U.S. doctors report a notable shift as patients transition from compounded GLP-1 medications to branded oral options. Patients are moving to Novo Nordisk’s lower-cost oral Wegovy pill and Eli Lilly’s Foundayo. Affordable starter-dose pricing has narrowed the cost gap between branded treatments and compounded alternatives.
Novo Nordisk is recapturing market share from unauthorized compounders. This commercial development follows the FDA’s move to restrict bulk compounding of obesity treatments.
Despite the shift, Novo Nordisk ADRs traded roughly 1.5% lower on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Broader market weakness and competitive pressure from Eli Lilly impacted the stock. Lilly recently released high-efficacy trial data for its triple-agonist, retatrutide.