The obesity treatment market’s seismic shift comes as Novo Nordisk struggles with persistent supply chain disruptions that have left thousands of patients waiting months for Wegovy injections. Eli Lilly’s successful oral alternative now threatens to exacerbate these shortages through three key mechanisms:
Critical Supply Chain Pressures
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Production limitations: Novo fulfilling only 50% of initial prescription orders
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Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Shortages: GLP-1 agonist raw material supply constrained globally
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Autoinjector Manufacturing Delays: 12-16 week backlog for delivery devices
“Lilly’s pill could divert 30% of new patients from injectables within 18 months,” predicts IQVIA analyst Michael Kleinrock. This comes as the FDA reports 14 U.S. states facing critical shortages of semaglutide-based therapies, with endocrinologists increasingly prescribing Lilly’s Mounjaro as an alternative.
