The Danish maker of Ozempic and Wegovy reported a 25 percent increase in sales to $40.6 billion, but said it expected slower growth this year.

The drugmaker expects the regulator to remove Wegovy and Ozempic from its shortage list, blocking other companies from legally selling cheap knockoff versions.

Novo Nordisk stock jumped Wednesday on better-than-expected fourth-quarter sales, helped by an Ozempic beat.

Novo’s newest GLP-1, CagriSema, is the first big test of Novo Nordisk’s future as the leader in the obesity treatment market. The drug is more potent than Ozempic and Wegovy, expanding treatment to heavier patients while perhaps reducing treatment times for other individuals.

By Maggie Fick and Stine Jacobsen LONDON/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Obesity drug maker Novo Nordisk forecast slower growth this year after Wegovy sales more than doubled in the fourth quarter, with analysts and investors describing the results as "good enough" to ease nerves about stiff competition from rival Eli Lilly.

Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk on Wednesday forecast sales would grow at a slower rate this year although the outlook was roughly in line with market expectations as the pace of ferocious demand for its wildly popular obesity drug Wegovy eases somewhat.