The “miracle drug for weight loss” is about to enter China! Novo Nordisk China confirms weight-loss version of Semaglutide will be approved this year

The "miracle drug for weight loss" is about to enter China! Novo Nordisk China confirms weight-loss version of Semaglutide will be approved this year
March 8, news that Novo Nordisk is expected to weight loss version of the Semaglutide Wegovy will be approved in China this year, the product will be the beginning of the self-financed patients, and there is a limit to the number of patients. In this regard, Novo Nordisk China confirmed the above news to the surging news reporter, "looking forward to being approved this year, as soon as possible to benefit Chinese obesity patients."

Wegovy is the English trade name of the GLP-1 drug Semaglutide developed by Novo Nordisk for weight loss indications, which was approved as a weight loss drug in June 2021 in the United States. Tesla CEO Musk once mentioned in social media that he used the drug for weight loss, and it was once sought after as a "miracle drug for weight loss".

In China, Semaglutide injection and oral drug are only approved for diabetic indications, of which simethicone injection will be approved for marketing in China in April 2021, and thereafter enter the national health insurance catalog in 2022; oral Semaglutide was approved in January this year, and became the first oral GLP-1 drug approved for marketing in China.

As a representative of GLP-1 drugs, Semaglutide has been commercially successful. Novo Nordisk's 2023 financial report showed that Wegovy's sales soared 406% to $4.6 billion, leading the global GLP-1 track. Also because of this, many domestic drug companies layout of Semaglutide biosimilar drug development, but most are in the early clinical stage, such as Liju Group (000513), Han Yu Pharmaceutical (300199) and many other drug companies previously announced that the company's Semaglutide injection was approved to carry out clinical trials for weight management-related indications.

It is worth mentioning that, along with Novo Nordisk is known as the "GLP-1 duo" LLY is also promoting the listing of GLP-1 weight loss drug Tirzepatide in China, which is also expected to be approved domestically.2023 August, LLY China announced that, according to the official website of the Drug Evaluation Center of the State Drug Administration. The registration application for Tirzepatide injection for the improvement of long-term weight management in overweight patients with adult obesity or with at least one weight-related comorbidity on the basis of a low-calorie diet and increased exercise has been formally accepted.

The diabetes indication for Tirzepatide was approved in the U.S. in May 2022, and the drug contributed $483 million in revenue to Lilly in 2022.The weight loss indication for Tirzepatide was approved in the U.S. for weight loss on November 8, 2023, after less than two months of less than $176 million in revenue.

With Novo Nordisk and LLY GLP-1 drugs expected to be approved for weight loss indications in China, the competition between Novo Nordisk and LLY on the GLP-1 track may soon start in China.