Why did NVO stock crash over 14% today? Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug CagriSema misses trial goal against Eli Lilly’s Tirzepatide

NVO stock today: It was a tough start to the week for Novo Nordisk investors. The Danish drugmaker’s shares plunged more than 14% on Monday in pre-market trading after the company said its next-generation weight loss treatment, CagriSema, failed to meet its primary goal in a trial against a rival drug from Eli Lilly.

NVO Stock (Novo Nordisk stock) tumbles after CagriSema trial miss against Eli Lilly rival

Novo said CagriSema did not demonstrate non-inferiority in weight loss compared with tirzepatide after 84 weeks, as per a CNBC report. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Lilly’s blockbuster medicines Mounjaro and Zepbound, which have overtaken Novo’s semaglutide products Ozempic and Wegovy in US prescriptions.

Patients taking a 2.4 mg dose of CagriSema achieved 23% weight loss after 84 weeks. By comparison, patients on a 15 mg dose of tirzepatide saw weight loss of 25.5%, according to Novo.


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Eli Lilly Stock Rises as Novo Nordisk ADRs Underperform

That gap was enough to disappoint the market. Novo’s Copenhagen-listed shares fell to 256 Danish kroner, their lowest level since June 2021, as per the CNBC report. In US trading, Novo Nordisk ADRs were sharply lower, underperforming Lilly shares.

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly stock rose 3.5% in premarket trading, reflecting investor confidence in tirzepatide’s competitive edge.

NVO Stock Down: Nearly 50% Drop in 2025 Adds Pressure on Novo Investors

Monday’s drop adds to an already painful stretch for Novo shareholders. The stock has fallen nearly 50% in 2025, and the latest trial outcome is another blow, especially since CagriSema was being tested against a drug already firmly established in the market.

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CagriSema: GLP-1 and Amylin Combination Drug Explained

Novo has high hopes for CagriSema, which combines semaglutide with cagrilintide, a hormone released in the pancreas that affects appetite. Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange said the drug has the potential to become the first GLP-1/amylin combination product for obesity, and that further trials will assess its full weight-loss potential.

The company said it is exploring additional studies, including higher-dose combinations.

Novo Nordisk Sales and Profit Growth Forecast to Decline 5%–13% in 2026

The trial news comes shortly after Novo projected that sales and profit growth could decline between 5% and 13% in 2026, citing increased competition, lower prices in the US, and the loss of exclusivity for Wegovy and Ozempic in certain markets.

CEO Mike Doustdar Warns of Short-Term Challenges for Investors

CEO Mike Doustdar recently acknowledged the near-term challenges, saying, “People should expect that it goes down before it comes back up,” as quoted by CNBC.

FAQs

Why did Novo NVO stock fall?

Because its weight loss drug CagriSema failed to meet a key trial goal against Eli Lilly’s rival drug.



How much weight did patients lose on CagriSema?

Patients lost 23% of their body weight on a 2.4 mg dose.