Novo Nordisk, the maker of the wildly popular obesity drug Wegovy, said Thursday it would temporarily limit some “starter” doses for new patients in the United States to ensure a steady supply for people already on the medication.
The company will cut the supply of lower-strength doses available that new patients start with, it said.
The announcement from Novo is the latest demonstration of the surging interest for the weight-loss medication and the company’s struggles to meet that demand. Some patients have resorted to trying to find the active ingredients themselves.
Novo’s move came the day it reported that sales of its obesity products rose 124% in the first quarter, “mainly driven by the uptake of Wegovy in the U.S.,” the company said. A second contract manufacturer started production of the medicine last month, the company said, and a third manufacturer will come online later this year.
Outside the United States, Wegovy is only available in Denmark and Norway.
