Novo Nordisk has lowered its full-year 2025 sales and profit outlook, citing slower-than-expected growth for Ozempic® and Wegovy® in the US. This reflects ongoing access challenges, including continued use of compounded GLP-1s and slower market uptake. The announcement triggered a sharp selloff, with shares falling over 20% and $70 billion in market value erased.
In parallel with this financial update, Novo Nordisk appointed Maziar Mike Doustdar as its new President and CEO, effective August 7. A 33-year company veteran, Doustdar has led International Operations since 2015 and oversaw a doubling of sales to DKK 112 billion by 2024. His promotion comes amid increasing competition in the GLP-1 space and ongoing challenges related to compounded GLP-1 copycats in the US market. Doustdar has spent much of his career expanding Novo’s reach in emerging markets. While he has limited experience in the US, he has pledged to act with “a sense of urgency” to improve access to innovative therapies, including GLP-1s, for more patients worldwide.
Novo Nordisk will also merge its early- and late-stage development units into a single R&D group. Martin Holst Lange, MD, PhD, will lead the new unit as Chief Scientific Officer. The goal is to streamline how new therapies move from discovery to approval — with diabetes and obesity remaining top priorities.
As GLP-1 therapies remain central to obesity and type 2 diabetes care, changes at Novo Nordisk could have long-term effects on access, innovation, and affordability.
