The Danish company’s share price rise of 7 per cent this year lags far behind its rival Eli Lilly’s 36 per cent, as the US company has gradually increased its share of the obesity and diabetes market and Novo Nordisk has faced lower prescriptions of Wegovy than expected.

Novo’s obesity drug sales nearly doubled outside the U.S. during the quarter as global demand continued to rise.

Novo Nordisk A/S posted surging sales of its blockbuster weight-loss treatment Wegovy, reassuring investors after rival Eli Lilly & Co. reported disappointing sales of its obesity treatment last week.

Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday it was aware of reports of 10 deaths and 100 hospitalisations of people who had taken compounded copies of its weight-loss and diabetes drugs. U.S. regulations allow compounding pharmacies to copy brand-name medicines that are in short supply by combining,