Novo Nordisk Eyes Acquisitions to Boost Drug Pipeline

Novo Nordisk Seeks Acquisitions for Pipeline Expansion Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company known for Ozempic and Wegovy, is actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions to broaden its drug pipeline, according to CEO Mike Doustdar on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. This strategic shisources aims to secure the company's leadership in the competitive obesity drug market amidst analyst concerns regarding its future product offerings.

The company's increased focus on external deals is driven by an ambition to serve a larger patient population and to complement its existing assets. Novo Nordisk, which pioneered GLP-1 weight-loss medications, faces growing competition, particularly from Eli Lilly, which has surpassed Novo in market share for weekly GLP-1 injections. However, Novo Nordisk has established an early lead in the emerging category of GLP-1 oral medications.

Doustdar stated that Novo Nordisk possesses a robust internal pipeline, highlighting drug candidates such as CagriSema, which targets GLP-1 and amylin and is anticipated for approval by late 2026, and the experimental amylin-targeting drug zenagamtide, whose development has been accelerated. The company's pursuit of acquisitions follows a strong first-quarter performance for its Wegovy pill and an upward revision of its full-year profit guidance.