Novo Nordisk Stock Plunges as Legal Threat Looms Over $49 Wegovy Copycat
Novo Nordisk shares tumbled 7% after Hims & Hers unveiled a compounded version of Wegovy priced at $49, dramatically undercutting the pharmaceutical giant's $149 offering. The Danish company swiftly threatened legal action, labeling the MOVE as "illegal mass compounding" that jeopardizes patient safety.
Eli Lilly shares mirrored the decline, dropping 7% on heightened competition fears in the weight-loss drug market. Hims & Hers defends its product as personalized compounding, claiming a distinct formulation sidesteps semaglutide patents valid until 2032.
The controversy compounds Novo Nordisk's struggles, with the stock having lost 50% of its value in 2025 and declining another 15% in 2026 amid projected sales drops of up to 13% this year. Market watchers anticipate protracted legal battles that could reshape pricing dynamics in the lucrative weight-loss pharmaceutical sector.