New Novo Nordisk chair signals interest in over-the-counter path for Wegovy

Novo Nordisk shareholders elected Lars Rebien Sorensen as chair of the Danish drugmaker's board on Nov. 14, 2025, and he said he wants the board to add members with recent pharmaceutical and over-the-counter experience. His comment, made after an extraordinary shareholder meeting, points toward a possible consumer-health route for obesity medicines such as Wegovy (semaglutide), though no over-the-counter application has been announced ^[1].

"We would like to strengthen the board with some qualifications, preferably with recent pharma experience, perhaps even OTC experience," Sorensen said ^[1]. He did not name products, markets or a timeline for any nonprescription version of Wegovy. A switch away from prescription-only status would require regulatory approval, and no such filing has been announced by the company ^[1].

The meeting completed a board overhaul that handed unprecedented power to the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which holds 77% of Novo's voting rights while owning about 28% of its share capital ^[1]. The revamped board secured more than 90% approval from shareholders, but some key minority investors either protested or abstained, citing fears that too much decision-making power is concentrated with Sorensen, who also chairs the foundation. That dual role is described as unprecedented in the company's history ^[1][2].

Sorensen, a former CEO of Novo Nordisk, said he plans to stay in the chair role no more than two to three years. "I would like to make myself redundant as quickly as possible," he said, adding that the foundation would resume operating at arm's length from the company once a successor is elected ^[1].

The restructuring followed the abrupt resignation last month of former chair Helge Lund and other independent board members, who stepped down citing disagreements with the foundation over governance principles ^[1]. Sorensen said the foundation wanted greater changes to stabilize the company and support long-term growth ^[1].

Behind the governance fight is a harder business picture. Novo has faced slowing sales growth for Wegovy, the obesity drug that helped make it Europe's most valuable company, along with competition from Eli Lilly (maker of Mounjaro and Zepbound, or tirzepatide) and from compounding pharmacies, plus supply constraints that eroded its early lead in the weight-loss market ^[1]. Sorensen has criticized the old board for not acting quickly enough to stop the decline in its key U.S. market, and he pushed over the summer to speed the naming of new CEO Mike Doustdar, who is leading a round of layoffs globally. Novo also entered a bidding war for Metsera, which it lost to Pfizer ^[1].

The company is shifting toward a direct-to-consumer, cash-paying model, which is the context for Sorensen's interest in over-the-counter expertise on the board ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus are prescription semaglutide products, and Mounjaro and Zepbound are prescription tirzepatide products. Sorensen's remark was about the qualifications he wants on the board, not a product decision. It does not change what is available at a pharmacy today ^[1].

An over-the-counter GLP-1 would mean no prescription visit, but that would require regulatory clearance. Novo has not announced any such filing or timeline, and the company has not said which medicine might be considered or in which countries ^[1].

A move toward direct-to-consumer, cash-paying sales could change how patients pay for these medicines rather than whether they need a prescription. Details of pricing, insurance coverage or eligibility under that model have not been disclosed ^[1].

What happens next

Sorensen said he intends to serve no more than two to three years and wants to make himself redundant quickly, with the foundation returning to an arm's-length relationship with the company once a successor is chosen ^[1].

He said he wants to recruit board members with recent pharmaceutical or over-the-counter experience, but no names, candidates or dates have been announced ^[1].

CEO Mike Doustdar is carrying out layoffs globally, and further changes to how Novo sells and prices its obesity medicines have not been detailed publicly beyond the general shift toward cash-paying, direct-to-consumer sales ^[1].