Foreign Media: China's Weight Loss Drug Market Experiences Price War, Drug Prices Drop by Up to 80% to Address Obesity Crisis
As China's obesity problem intensifies (the number of overweight/obese adults is expected to rise from 400 million in 2021 to over 630 million by 2050), both domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies are locked in a fierce battle for market share, with drug prices falling by as much as 80%. After Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly were approved in 2024, the competition has become increasingly intense. With the patent for Novo Nordisk's semaglutide set to expire in March 2026, a large number of domestic generic drugs are poised to enter the market.
To protect its market, Novo Nordisk has slashed the price of Wegovy in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, reducing the monthly treatment cost from 1,900 yuan to less than 1,000 yuan. Eli Lilly's Mounjaro has been reduced to about 500 yuan on e-commerce platforms, a drop of about 80% from its initial launch price.
Nomura Securities and Jefferies analysts pointed out that the extent of price cuts by multinational pharmaceutical companies to maintain their market share has exceeded expectations. Their high-profit margins allow them to withstand such fluctuations, and domestic pharmaceutical companies are also bound to follow suit.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854216825602112/
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