COPENHAGEN, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk

lowered its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday in

an early blow to the Danish drugmaker's new CEO amid a deep

restructuring drive to claw back lost ground in a fierce obesity

drug market battle.

CEO Mike Doustdar, who took the helm in August, said the

lower guidance was due to "the lower growth expectations for our

GLP-1 treatments."

"We aim to accelerate on all fronts to be able to compete

better in dynamic and increasingly competitive markets,"

Doustdar said in a statement.

Novo Nordisk said it now expects full-year operating profit

- measured in local currencies - growing between 4% and 7% in

2025, compared with its earlier forecast of between 10% and 16%.

The company expects sales growth in local currencies of

between 8% and 11% this year, compared with its previous 8%-14%

range, it added.

Novo Nordisk said third-quarter sales rose 5% to 75.0

billion Danish crowns ($11.71 billion), compared with 76.2

billion forecast by analysts in a poll gathered by the company.

Sales grew 11% measured in local currencies, which eliminates

exchange rate fluctuations.

The rise in sales in local currency terms, which has slowed

sharply in the last year as competition has risen from rival Eli

Lilly ( LLY ) and copycat treatments, compared with 11.4% growth

expected by analysts in a company-compiled consensus.

Novo shot to become Europe's most valuable firm on the back

of rapid sales growth of its blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy,

but has seen sales growth slow, sparking a management overhaul

and dragging down its share price.

($1 = 6.4029 Danish crowns)