FDA approves higher dose version of weight loss drug Wegovy as Novo Nordisk tries to win back market share

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The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a higher dose version of Novo Nordisk

’s blockbuster weight loss injection Wegovy, as the company pushes to win back market share from chief rival Eli Lilly

Novo expects to launch the higher, 7.2-milligram dose of Wegovy in April. The Danish drugmaker is positioning that version to better compete with Lilly’s obesity drug Zepbound, which has proven to be more effective at promoting weight loss than the standard, 2.4-milligram dose of Wegovy.

That higher efficacy has helped Zepbound become the preferred obesity medication among prescribers and patients, even though it entered the U.S. market later than Wegovy, and has solidified Lilly’s position as the dominant player in the space.