COPENHAGEN, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk

said on Wednesday it will sharpen its commercial

focus and reduce costs, after a major profit warning and new CEO

announcement last week wiped some $95 billion of value from the

company's stock.

The Danish drugmaker, which boomed to become Europe's most

valuable firm worth some $650 billion last year on the back of

sales of its blockbuster weight-loss drug, is facing a pivotal

moment as it battles rising competition that is denting sales.

The company repeated its full-year guidance, days after slashing

its 2025 sales outlook and replacing CEO Lars Fruergaard

Jorgensen with veteran insider Maziar Mike Doustdar. Its market

cap has fallen since peak to some $212 billion.

"We are taking measures to sharpen our commercial execution

further, and ensure efficiencies in our cost base while

continuing to invest in future growth," outgoing CEO Jorgensen

said in a statement.

Doustdar will take the helm on Thursday, with the firm facing

tough questions from investors about how it can stay competitive

in the booming weight-loss drug market against U.S. rival Eli

Lilly ( LLY ) and a wave of compounded copycat versions.

Novo has been hit by copycats of its GLP-1 drugs Wegovy for

weight-loss and Ozempic for diabetes. U.S. law bars pharmacies

from replicating approved drugs, but has allowed 'compounding'

for patients needing custom doses or formulations.

Novo reported second-quarter sales of 76.86 billion Danish

crowns ($11.92 billion), up 18% from last year, below analysts

initial expectations.

It confirmed a 2025 sales growth forecast of between 8%

and 14%, which was cut in a

profit warning last week

from the previous 13%-21%. It was the second time this year

that the company cut its sales forecast.

Second-quarter earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT)

stood at 33.45 billion crowns, up 29% from a year ago.