Novo Nordisk plans to put 500 U.S. sales reps, or about one-sixth of that country’s sales force, to work marketing its newly-approved weight-loss drug Saxenda, a reformulated version of diabetes drug Victoza (liraglutide).
In an interview with the Financial Times, Novo Chief Science Officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen said his company is looking to generate at least $1 billion in annual sales from Saxenda. Novo Nordisk has said that its longstanding relationships with doctors who treat diabetes patients–who frequently are overweight–should help bolster sales of Saxenda.
Physicians also are already familiar with Victoza, although Saxenda is a higher dose of liraglutide. Novo Nordisk still has to work with payers to remove any cost-related obstacles to patients receiving Saxenda, and convince doctors to disregard any preconceived ideas about weight loss drugs.
Source: Financial Times
