TLDR
- Eli Lilly shares declined approximately 2% following lukewarm prescription trends for its GLP-1 drug lineup
- Foundayo tallied 3,707 total prescriptions in week two, climbing from 1,390 in its opening week
- By contrast, Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy captured 18,410 prescriptions during its second week
- Aggregate prescriptions for Mounjaro, Zepbound, and Foundayo slipped 0.3% versus the previous week
- The company continues holding approximately 59% of weekly new prescription share in the GLP-1 market
Shares of Eli Lilly experienced a roughly 2% decline Thursday following the release of recent prescription figures for its GLP-1 medication lineup — with Foundayo’s initial performance falling short of investor expectations.
Foundayo, the pharmaceutical giant’s recently launched oral weight management medication, generated 3,707 total prescriptions during its second week of availability. While this represents growth from the initial week’s 1,390 prescriptions, the figure remains substantially below the benchmark established by Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy formulation, which secured 18,410 prescriptions in its corresponding second week this past January.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Trung Huynh offered a candid assessment of the situation. “While we believe comparisons early into launch should be considered immaterial, Foundayo’s uptake this week is likely to be received negatively,” he noted.
J.P. Morgan’s Chris Schott acknowledged the slower trajectory compared to Wegovy but characterized it as expected. Wegovy benefited from earlier market entry and established brand awareness before Lilly’s oral formulation became available.
Foundayo received regulatory approval on April 1, 2026. Prescriptions became accessible through LillyDirect nearly immediately, with fulfillment commencing April 6. Wider availability via retail pharmacies and telehealth platforms launched on April 9.
The company has previously cautioned investors against drawing definitive conclusions from initial weekly data. Lilly emphasized that figures may not encompass all pharmacy distribution channels and are “best interpreted over time rather than as a complete count.”
Mounjaro and Zepbound Demonstrate Resilience
The injectable segment of Lilly’s portfolio exhibited greater stability. Mounjaro registered 758,400 total prescriptions during the week ending April 17, advancing from 749,500 in the preceding week. New Mounjaro prescriptions totaled 367,900, compared to 361,700 the previous week.
Zepbound showed marginal softness. Total prescriptions decreased to 615,300 from 632,500, although new prescriptions increased slightly to 350,600 from 346,400.
Collectively, Lilly’s Mounjaro, Zepbound, and Foundayo product portfolio generated 1,377,400 prescriptions — representing a 0.3% decline from the prior week’s 1,381,000.
Market Position Remains at 59%
Notwithstanding the sequential weekly decline, Lilly preserved its position in the expanding GLP-1 marketplace. The pharmaceutical company retained approximately 59% of weekly new prescription market share, consistent with the previous week’s performance.
The broader GLP-1 category sustained its expansion trajectory, advancing roughly 32% on a year-over-year basis.
Morgan Stanley analysts conveyed a more constructive perspective regarding the injectable portfolio. “We see ~6% upside to ’26 M+Z ests,” the firm stated, referencing 2026 projections for Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Morgan Stanley continues monitoring both medications as critical product franchises for Lilly, particularly their influence on overall category expansion and competitive positioning moving forward.
While Lilly’s equity declined approximately 2%, Novo Nordisk’s U.S.-traded shares advanced roughly 2% on identical prescription data — a divergent market response highlighting investor interpretation of the Foundayo versus Wegovy performance comparison.
Lilly’s injectable medications constitute the foundation of its GLP-1 commercial operation, and the Mounjaro and Zepbound prescription volumes continued demonstrating consistent sequential growth through April 17.
