Ozempic maker now worth more than $500B

This is nuts. Add in Eli Lilly too, and we get $1 trillion of market cap. It shows two things:

Obesity is a huge problem, and treating it is not cheap. A billion obese people worldwide...hardly only an American problem.

The general futility of 'diet and exercise' that people need to spend so much on a drug. But that is what it takes. Finally after many decades of trial and error, there is a (mostly) safe and effective weight loss treatment that works for the general population. It is ironic or bittersweet we need a drug to undo the progress or fruits of economic abundance, but that is where we're at.

Also, these drugs have many users who are merely trying to lose those extra stubborn 10-20 pounds for vanity purposes. It's like a lifestyle drug in this regard.

A highly recommended podcast on a 100 year history of Novo Nordisk (along with diabetes and insulin): https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/novo-nordisk-ozempic