Novo Nordisk is launching its weight-loss medicine, Wegovy, in China-a significant milestone in the world’s second-biggest pharmaceutical market-after its approval by Chinese health regulators last June. Wegovy will fuel rivalry with Eli Lilly, whose weight-loss treatment has not yet been released to the market. With 180 million obese people in China, the drug could make a marked difference in that weight-management landscape.

Affordable Alternative for Chinese Market

Pricing for Wegovy is low to make the treatment more accessible in China. A four-injection pack will cost 1,400 yuan (£153; $194), a far cry from its $1,349 monthly price tag in the U.S. Still, Chinese patients are prepared to pay on their own as the medicine has not been added to the national health insurance scheme.

The treatment, aimed at severely overweight individuals, utilizes semaglutide-an active ingredient responsible for the regulation of blood sugar, suppression of appetite, and leading to a feeling of satiety. According to research, Wegovy is capable of helping patients lose over 10% of their body weight; however, side effects such as nausea and post-treatment weight gain remain a concern.  

Global Popularity and Controversy

It has also gained traction worldwide since its launch in the U.S. in 2021, partly because of the endorsement by celebrities like Elon Musk and buzz on social media. The drug has also turned Novo Nordisk into Europe’s most valuable company, boasting a market value of more than $440 billion.

But that popularity also raised red flags, with UK authorities warning doctors against its misuse by people who aren’t obese after reports of side effects among such users-part of a growing global debate over the ethical use of weight loss medications. 

Novo Nordisk’s Strategy in China

Novo Nordisk, in that WeChat statement, added that Wegovy had become a “safe and effective weight-loss option” for obese patients in China. The move comes as it tries to tap into the growing demand for medical solutions to obesity in a nation of 1.4 billion people.

That launch sets the stage for greater competition against Eli Lilly as both firms jockey for a share in the burgeoning Chinese pharmaceutical market. The appearance of Wegovy in new markets underlines the increasing use of medical intervention to keep rising obesity rates across the world at bay.