Novo Nordisk's Race for the Chinese Weight-Loss Market

Novo Nordisk is set to seek regulatory approval for its Wegovy pill in China, aiming to compete with Eli Lilly. The move is a strategic effort to expand in the evolving pharmaceutical market. Intense competition is anticipated, especially following the patent expiration of semaglutide, Wegovy's active ingredient.

Novo Nordisk aims to secure Chinese regulatory approval for its Wegovy weight-loss pill "very soon," CEO Mike Doustdar announced during his visit to China. The move positions Novo to challenge Eli Lilly in the competitive Chinese pharmaceutical arena, the world's second-largest market.

The Danish and U.S.-based drugmakers are striving to appeal to patients with oral alternatives to injectable weight-loss medications, potentially transforming obesity treatments globally. While Novo plans to submit approval in a few months, competition has recently intensified, with Pfizer and Chinese companies like Innovent Biologics joining the fray.

With semaglutide's patent in China expired in March, Novo faces impending challenges from generic manufacturers by next year's second quarter. Despite U.S. and U.K. launches of Wegovy, China remains competitive, with Eli Lilly already submitting its marketing application for orforglipron. Meanwhile, sales of GLP-1 drugs through major e-commerce platforms have reached 1.4 billion yuan ($207 million) in Q1.