Novo Nordisk (NVO)'s top executives did not heed internal warnings that the company was not fully prepared for the launch of its weight loss drug Wegovy in the US, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing six former employees.

Wegovy was the first highly effective obesity treatment approved in the US in 2021, but Eli Lilly's (LLY) Zepbound overtook it in weekly new prescriptions this year, according to the report.

Sales and marketing executives had advised against a commercial launch shortly after Wegovy's approval and urged top executives to secure more supply and health insurance coverage first, two former employees told Reuters.

Shortly after the launch, Novo repeatedly suffered supply shortages while high costs pushed many patients toward cheaper copies, the report said.

Novo Nordisk did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.

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