Novo Nordisk parent buys US drug firm for $16.5bn to expand Wegovy supply

Company to acquire three sites from Catalent amid runaway demand for weight-loss drug

The explosion in demand for the weight-loss drug Wegovy has led to the holding company behind its maker, Novo Nordisk, buying a leading US-based drugmaker for $16.5bn (13.2bn) to increase capacity.

Novo Holdings is to buy the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical firm Catalent, and then immediately sell three of its sites for $11bn in US and Europe to Wegovy Novo Nordisk, which will increase its ability to match supply with growing demand.