Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NOVO) got another win in the global weight-loss arms race after U.K. regulators approved a higher weekly dose of Wegovy, a move that gives doctors more flexibility for patients with severe obesity and immediately sparked a positive reaction in the stock. Shares of Novo Nordisk were up about 3% after the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) signed off on a 7.2 mg weekly dose of Wegovy, up from the prior maximum of 2.4 mg per week.

Under the updated approval, eligible patients can receive the higher dose by taking three separate 2.4 mg injections on the same day each week, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The MHRA’s decision was made Jan. 6 and later announced publicly. But the expanded dosing is not a blanket upgrade for everyone using Wegovy.

The higher 7.2 mg option is specifically approved for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher. People who are overweight but fall below that threshold, as well as patients using Wegovy primarily to reduce cardiovascular risk, are not eligible for the larger weekly dose under the U.K. clearance.

Novo’s dosing pathway remains gradual. Patients typically begin at 0.25 mg per week and titrate upward over time until they reach 2.4 mg. From there, qualified patients can transition to the 7.2 mg weekly regimen.Novo Nordisk said the higher-dose option expands treatment choices for healthcare providers managing extreme obesity, an area where results can be harder to achieve and sustain.

The approval also reinforces what the market has already been pricing in for the past year: regulators are increasingly comfortable backing GLP-1-based obesity drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic as demand continues to surge globally. Novo is also seeking similar approvals outside the U.K., with regulatory decisions still pending in other major markets.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NOVO) is a global healthcare company headquartered in Denmark, focused on developing medicines for chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity and rare disorders. The company is known for its GLP-1-based therapies such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which have become leading treatments in the rapidly growing metabolic health market.

At the time of publishing, Stocks.News does not hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.