Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide has been approved for weight management in China, entering what’s expected to be a substantial market for GLP-1s.
Tirzepatide — marketed in the US as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss — has been approved for nearly two months in China for the treatment of diabetes. The country’s National Medical Products Administration added weight management to the label on Friday, Lilly announced in a social media post, just over a week after China’s National Health Commission (NHC) launched a public awareness campaign around high obesity rates.
Lilly said in its social media post that “more than half of Chinese adults are experiencing the effects of obesity or overweight,” according to a translation. The NHC’s health emergency response office director Guo Yanhong called it a “major public health issue” in a statement earlier this month, attributing high obesity rates in part to changing dietary patterns.
Novo Nordisk’s rival GLP-1 semaglutide is also approved for weight loss and diabetes in China. The company’s chief of international operations Maziar Mike Doustdar told Bloomberg last month that it plans to ensure that patients who start taking the drug can continue to fill their prescriptions, as the company continues to grapple with shortages in the US for lower doses of the drug.
“More treatment options to help improve the lives of those living with chronic diseases are good advancements for patients and a testament to the significant unmet need of addressing diabetes and obesity,” a Novo spokesperson told Endpoints News on Friday.
Lilly’s launch plans remain unclear, and the company declined to disclose its price in China.