Overview

• Novo Nordisk confirmed a global hiring freeze for non‑business‑critical roles, and its new chief executive said all costs are under review without ruling out layoffs.
• The company’s headcount climbed from about 43,000 in 2019 to 77,350 last year, but gross margin hit a two‑and‑a‑half‑year low in Q2 as investors erased roughly $490 billion from the peak market value after profit warnings.
• Heightened competition from Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and the spread of cheaper compounded semaglutide are squeezing sales and margins, with analysts flagging sales roles as vulnerable as Novo deprioritizes Rybelsus.
• More than 1,800 U.S. lawsuits over alleged GLP‑1 side effects are consolidated in federal court in Pennsylvania, with discovery progressing and bellwether trials scheduled for early 2026.
• Employers surveyed expect higher health‑insurance costs tied to increased GLP‑1 use, with Wegovy’s June launch in India showing early uptake and initial sales momentum.