Why Novo Nordisk Stock Popped on Tuesday

Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) stock jumped 3% through 10:55 a.m. Tuesday on some potentially positive news in the GLP-1 weight loss market.

As Reuters reports today, an online weight loss company called Noom has begun selling smaller doses of compounded versions of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy GLP-1 drug. This development comes as the compounding pharmacy industry seeks a way to coexist with the big pharmaceutical companies that invented -- and patented -- GLP-1 drugs in the first place.

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Noom news

A compounding pharmacy is one that creates compounds, formulations specialized for those who take them. The Reuters story is a bit ambiguous on the details, saying that Noom will sell "its version of compounded semaglutide" in a 0.125-milligram dose that's "personalized for patients" and only half the usual 0.25-mg dose for patients buying Wegovy from Novo Nordisk. Reuters also says that Noom "will continue selling branded Novo Nordisk drugs."

It's not clear, but the gist of the story seems to be that Noom will be buying and repackaging Wegovy from Novo, rather than preparing and selling a generic semaglutide concoction of its own. Assuming this is indeed what's happening, Noom's approach might boost Novo Nordisk sales of Wegovy as Noom becomes a reseller of Novo's drug.

Is this good or bad news for Novo Nordisk stock?

This would appear to offer a way for Noom (and other compounders) to remain in business despite tightened FDA regulations on compounders, now that Wegovy production is sufficient to meet demand. It might also mollify Novo such that it doesn't pursue legal remedies against compounders who "evade federal compounding laws by selling knockoff semaglutide drugs with manipulated, unnecessary, and pretextual changes to doses and ingredients," as Novo puts it.

And if this ends up reaccelerating sales growth for Novo, it could be good news for the stock.

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Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.