---
title: "Novo Tries New Japan Strategy To Boost Demand"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/279840652.md"
description: "Novo Nordisk is adopting a new strategy in Japan to boost demand for its weight-loss drugs by targeting patients willing to pay out of pocket. The company aims to create self-funded treatment pathways for GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, launched in February 2024, as many patients are currently limited by reimbursement issues. This move comes amid increasing competition from Eli Lilly and a significant decline in Novo's stock, which has dropped 48% in 2025 and another ~26% in 2026, alongside a decrease in Novo Holdings' assets."
datetime: "2026-03-19T19:49:52.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/279840652.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/279840652.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/279840652.md)
---

# Novo Tries New Japan Strategy To Boost Demand

Novo Nordisk is trying a different playbook in Japan, pushing to expand access to its weight-loss drugs by targeting patients willing to pay out of pocket.

The idea is simple. Instead of waiting on broader insurance coverage, the company wants to work directly with doctors and patients to open up self-funded treatment pathways for GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, which launched in Japan in February 2024. Management says demand is already there, but many patients are still shut out due to reimbursement limits. That creates a gap Novo is now trying to fill, especially as competition from Eli Lilly continues to build globally.

The timing isn't random. Novo has been under pressure, with the stock down 48% in 2025 and another ~26% so far in 2026. Slower sales momentum, cheaper copycat drugs and underwhelming results from a next-gen obesity treatment have all weighed on sentiment. Even Novo Holdings saw its assets drop to DKK 694 billion from DKK 1,060 billion, largely reflecting the stock's decline.

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