Novo Nordisk pays billions for a weekly weight-loss pill

Novo Nordisk will pay up to $2.6 billion for the rights to an experimental once-a-week weight-loss pill from China's Jiangsu Hengrui, reported 29 September 2026. Reuters says $300 million comes upfront. The pill copies natural gut signals that tell your brain you are full, like turning down hunger. Most of the money only gets paid if tests and approval succeed.