On June 25th, the National Medical Products Administration approved the marketing application of Semaglutide Injection (trade name: Novo Nordisk) developed and produced by Novo Nordisk in China.

On June 25th, the National Medical Products Administration approved the marketing application of Semaglutide Injection (trade name: Novo Nordisk) developed and produced by Novo Nordisk in China. This means that the world's first and currently only glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) weekly formulation for long-term weight management has officially entered the Chinese market, bringing new treatment options for obese patients. Clinical data from Novo Nordisk shows that Novo Nordisk can achieve an average weight loss of 17% (16.8 kilograms).

Semaglutide is regarded as a "miracle drug" for weight loss. Tesla CEO Elon Musk once posted that he lost 9 kilograms in one month by dieting and using Wegovy (Novo Nordisk's injection of semaglutide for weight loss).

In recent years, the number of obese patients in China has shown a rapid growth trend. According to data from the National Health Commission, over half of adult residents are overweight or obese, and the overweight/obesity rates among children and adolescents are also high. Obesity not only affects the appearance and mental health of individuals, but also is an important incentive for hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Therefore, weight control for overweight and obese patients has become an urgent need for clinical treatment.

There is a close relationship between diabetes and obesity. In China, the prevalence of diabetes is about 12%, and one third of the patients face the problem of overweight or obesity at the same time. In recent years, with the development and application of new hypoglycemic drugs, the field of obesity treatment has ushered in a revolution.

According to data from the Forward Industry Research Institute, in the weight loss drug industry chain, the upstream raw material supply, midstream weight loss drug research and production, downstream hospitals, and retail end constitute a complete industry chain. In the upstream stage, the raw materials for weight loss drugs include amino acids, condensation reagents, solid-phase carriers, etc; The midstream weight loss drugs mainly include three categories: original drugs, similar/generic drugs, and innovative drugs; The main consumption scenarios are downstream hospitals and drug retail.

With the continuous growth of market demand, the field of weight loss drugs has also experienced rapid development. Especially in the field of GLP-1 drugs, due to its unique mechanism of reducing blood sugar and weight, high-quality clinical treatment effects, and safety, it has become a star drug in the weight loss market. Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2030, the global market for weight loss drugs will soar to $100 billion (approximately RMB 720 billion).

In the Chinese market, competition for GLP-1 drugs is becoming increasingly fierce. Currently, dozens of drugs using the same mechanism as Novo Nordisk's semaglutide are undergoing clinical trials. Multiple companies are actively laying out in the field of weight loss drugs and striving to seize the market.