The rise of obesity in China has led to the adoption of modern weight loss medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide, approved for use in 2023-2024. Semaglutide ranked second in global pharmaceutical sales in 2023, with a $21 billion combined revenue, while tirzepatide, a strong competitor, saw rapidly growing sales. In China, a competitive landscape among Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and domestic companies is emerging, driven by differentiated strategies in weight loss medication R&D.

With more than half the adult population of China overweight or obese, the rush is on to secure prescriptions for drugs like semaglutide – better known as Ozempic