Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy approved in China

Novo Nordisk said Tuesday that its Wegovy weight loss treatment has been approved in China for long-term weight management, opening sales of the blockbuster drug in the world’s second-largest economy.

China’s National Medical Products Administration “recently” approved the weekly injectable drug, Novo Nordisk said in a press release on the Chinese version of its website, according to Google Translate.

The drug will initially be available to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² – the obesity threshold – and at least one weight-related comorbidity, he adds. Weight-related comorbidities refer to additional medical problems that an obese person may develop due to their weight.

Novo Nordisk did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for more information on the proposed price and rollout schedule for the drugs. The Danish pharmaceutical giant said in March it would initially focus on patients who pay out of pocket, Reuters reported.

Shares in Novo Nordisk were up 1.8% as of 9:18 a.m. London time.

The approval comes as the patent on the drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, expires in China in 2026 and competition intensifies from domestic drugmakers in the market.

More than half of China’s 1.4 billion people are overweight or obese, according to a 2020 report from the country’s National Health Commission.

Meanwhile, clinical trial records show that about 15 generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy are currently under development in China, Reuters reported last month.

The company’s diabetes drug Ozempic was approved in 2021 and saw sales in the greater China region double last year.

Novo Nordisk and competitor Elie Lilly are struggling to meet growing demand for their obesity treatments.

On Monday, Novo Nordisk announced that it would invest $4.1 billion to expand its production in the United States. Additional capacity for a new manufacturing facility in Clayton, North Carolina, is expected to be completed between 2027 and 2029.