Novo Nordisk Announces Major Price Reductions for Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus
On February 24, 2026, Danish pharmaceutical titan Novo Nordisk declared a significant decrease in the list prices for its popular weight-loss and diabetes medications – Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus. The price cuts, which will be up to 50%, are set to take effect from January 1, 2027. The new uniform monthly wholesale acquisition cost for all three semaglutide products will be $675, marking a 50% reduction for Wegovy (from $1,349) and a 34% reduction for Ozempic (from $1,027).
This move comes amidst escalating competition from Eli Lilly, whose rival drug Zepbound is priced at $1,086. The announcement was made following unsatisfactory clinical trial results for Novo’s upcoming obesity drug CagriSema, which led to a 16% drop in the company’s stock earlier in the week. Post the pricing announcement, Novo’s shares experienced an additional 2.8% dip in Copenhagen trading.
The price reductions are anticipated to benefit patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans or co-insurance designs, where out-of-pocket costs are directly linked to list prices. Last year, approximately one-third of workers with employer-sponsored insurance were enrolled in high-deductible plans. Jamey Millar, Novo’s executive vice president of U.S. operations, asserted that this move responds to demands from both public and private payers for lower list prices to broaden access to these medications for over 100 million Americans living with obesity and 35 million with type 2 diabetes.