Source: Wall Street See News Author: Bu Shuqing.

The approval of Semaglutide, also known as the "magic weight-loss drug," has opened the door to China's weight-loss drug market.$Novo-Nordisk A/S (NVO.US)$However, considering the huge global demand for weight-loss drugs, Novo Nordisk has decided to limit the sales of this popular drug in China during the early stages.

On Thursday local time, Maziar Mike Doustdar, head of Novo Nordisk's international business, said in an interview with the media that the company plans to launch Wegovy (known as Novo and Win in China), but will limit the supply to avoid depleting supplies in other parts of the world.

"The demand is far greater than the current supply, and this is no longer a secret," said Doustdar. "We can't fully open it up to all centers and hospitals on the first day, otherwise, there will be a situation where the product is launched on Monday, and those who started taking it on Monday won't have enough medicine by Wednesday or Thursday."

Novo Nordisk announced on Tuesday that Semaglutide has been approved in China for long-term weight management, especially for patients with obesity and weight-related comorbidities.

Novo Nordisk said that this is the first and currently the only weekly formulation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1) for long-term weight management globally. It can achieve an average weight loss of 17% (16.8 kg) and bring multiple health benefits beyond weight loss for patients. Its safety has been widely verified.

Since last year, Semaglutide has swept across Europe and America, with Hollywood stars, internet celebrities, and ordinary people all discussing its significant weight loss effects. Novo Nordisk's stock price has also risen sharply, with a 40% increase in the past year, making it the highest-valued pharmaceutical company in Europe.

In addition to Wegovy, Novo Nordisk's other GLP-1 drug Ozempic was approved for the treatment of diabetes in China in 2021, and sales doubled last year to $693.6 million.

Editor/Lambor