Wegovy is being made available to Chinese patients five months after its approval in the country. Novo will sell the medicine for about $193.27 for a one-month supply.
Novo Nordisk has finally launched popular weight loss drug Wegovy in China, five months after its approval by authorities there. The drug will sell for 1,400 yuan ($193.27), compared to the U.S. list price of $1,349 for a month’s supply.
The news was first reported by Chinese publication Yicai and confirmed by Reuters.
China is the second largest market in the world, with an estimated 180 million adults considered obese. This compares to about 100 million Americans, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.
Novo was granted Chinese approval for Ozempic, which is the diabetes form of the active ingredient semaglutide, to treat type 2 diabetes in 2021. Approval for Wegovy in the country followed in June 2024.
Wegovy will not be covered by China’s national healthcare program, but the company told Yicai that it is exploring other paths for coverage, such as commercial insurance.
While China represents another multimillion-dollar market for Novo, its patent is expiring in two years—compared to 2032 in the U.S.—and biosimilar competition in China is ramping up.Eli Lilly’s rival therapy tirzepatide also gained approval for obesity in China this July. The medicine, known as Zepbound for weight loss and Mounjaro for diabetes, had previously been available for diabetes. The patent covering tirzepatide in China isn’t set to expire until 2036.
