Exterior of Novo Nordisk office in Denmark
MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

Elaine Chen covers biotech, co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70.

A high-dose version of Novo Nordisk’s injectable obesity drug Wegovy received U.S. approval, the company said Thursday, providing it with a new catalyst as it tries to claw back market share with its weight loss treatments.

The therapy was approved under a new voucher program that was set up by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary and that was intended to accelerate review of drugs that align with national priorities. Novo received the voucher as part of its deal with the Trump administration late last year to lower prices of its obesity medicines in certain settings.

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Novo was first to open up the booming obesity market with Wegovy, but it’s fallen behind Eli Lilly in recent years, and it’s not clear how much high-dose Wegovy will help it become more competitive again.

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