By Dominic Chopping


Blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy has been approved in China, opening the door for maker Novo Nordisk to begin selling it in the world's second-largest economy, where the appetite for similar treatments is surging.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant said in March that it expected a decision on Wegovy's approval in the country sometime this year. The initial focus of a volume-capped launch would be on Chinese patients willing to pay out-of-pocket for the once-weekly injection, it said at the time.

No launch date was announced Tuesday, nor were any details of volumes.

The surging demand for Wegovy in other markets has forced the company to restrict supply to safeguard access for current patients while it scrambles to increase stocks. It has committed to spend several billion dollars in building new production capacity to ease the pressure.

Novo Nordisk's Ozempic drug--which contains the same semaglutide active ingredient as Wegovy--was approved to treat diabetes in China in 2021. Sales of the drug in the country more than doubled on year in 2023, reaching 4.82 billion Danish kroner ($693.6 million).

Demand for weight-loss drugs is surging in China, where the proportion of overweight and obese adults reached almost 51% in 2022, creating a frenzy among local manufacturers to develop their own versions of the popular treatments, especially as Novo Nordisk's semaglutide patent expires there in 2026, which will pave the way for generic versions.

Chinese regulators have already approved two locally produced drugs for weight loss that work in a similar way to Novo Nordisk's offering. The drugs, made by Huadong Medicine and Shanghai Benemae Pharmaceutical, both mimic a gut hormone to suppress appetite, delay stomach emptying and control blood sugar.

In addition, Chinese biotech company Innovent Biologics has the Chinese rights to a next generation obesity drug from Eli Lilly called Mazdutide, which is currently in Phase 3 trials.

Eli Lilly's blockbuster diabetes drug Tirzepatide won approval in China last month while its Zepbound obesity drug that shares the same active ingredient is still under review.


Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-25-24 0634ET