Celebrity Weight-Loss Drug Semaglutide Reignites Market Frenzy as New Commercial Landscape Emerges

Weight loss is an enduring topic.

With the launch of the “weight-loss version” of the global blockbuster drug semaglutide in China, public interest has surged once again, reigniting the desire of countless individuals to “lose weight effortlessly.”

Obesity is the sixth leading risk factor for mortality and disability in China and is associated with more than 200 diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes, underscoring an urgent need for more diverse and effective medical weight-loss interventions. Furthermore, semaglutide has garnered dual expectations from both the medical and consumer sectors.

Amid eager anticipation, the approval of semaglutide as a compliant weight-loss medication has reignited the trend of slimming down.

Semaglutide has long enjoyed widespread renown; its success has been driven by substantial market demand, the celebrity effect, and efficacy backed by robust data.

In 2021, the “glucose-lowering” formulation of semaglutide injection, Ozempic, was launched in China for glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes. As semaglutide is also approved in the United States for weight management, Chinese patients have been eagerly anticipating the approval of its weight-loss indication in recent years, influenced by social media and other information channels.

Finally, following the NMPA’s approval in June 2024 of semaglutide’s indication for long-term weight management, the “weight-loss version” of semaglutide injection, Wegovy, was officially launched in China on November 17.

Data from the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance show that, based on Chinese diagnostic criteria for obesity (overweight defined as a body mass index [BMI] of 24–27.9 kg/m², and obesity defined as BMI ≥28 kg/m²), the prevalence of overweight and obesity in China reached 50.7% (34.3% and 16.4%, respectively) by 2018, three times the level in 2004, and is projected to reach 70.5% (610 million people) by 2030.

Data released by Novo Nordisk shows that,Wegovy® has demonstrated excellent weight loss efficacy, achieving an average weight reduction of approximately 17%, and delivering multiple health benefits beyond weight loss for patients. Its safety and tolerability have been extensively validated.

Specifically, the global STEP series of large-scale clinical trials for Wegovy enrolled approximately 25,000 participants with overweight or obesity, validating its efficacy, safety, and other health benefits in long-term weight management. Notably, Wegovy achieved an average weight reduction of approximately 17%, with effects sustained for at least two years. The STEP 1 trial further demonstrated that this weight loss was primarily attributable to a reduction in adipose tissue. Moreover, the drug offers multiple health benefits beyond weight reduction, including but not limited to reduced waist circumference, decreased visceral fat, improved lipid profiles, and reversal of prediabetes.

To date, semaglutide has accumulated over 22 million patient-years of exposure. In terms of its mechanism of action, Wegovy reduces hunger, increases satiety, and decreases food cravings in patients with obesity, thereby reducing caloric intake and leading to weight loss.

Certainly, Wegovy has specific indications and is approved for long-term weight management in adult patients, in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, provided that the initial body mass index (BMI) meets the following criteria:

In 2021, after semaglutide was approved by the U.S. FDA for weight management, the market for weight-loss drugs experienced explosive growth. Currently, Wegovy has been launched in more than 10 countries and regions worldwide.

Notably, weight-loss medications have once again surged in popularity, with a marked spike in orders. To facilitate easier access for patients, multiple internet platforms, including JD.com, have launched online reservation channels, enabling patients to obtain the medications promptly.

VCBeat has observed that, under the policy framework for online sales of prescription drugs, nearly all online platforms have adopted a model combining online appointment scheduling with offline medication dispensing. Taking Wegovy (semaglutide) in the 1.5 mL (0.68 mg/mL) specification as an example, the price is approximately RMB 1,600 or more, which includes consultation fees from offline medical institutions and other weight-loss-related service charges.

It is reported that shortly after the product’s market launch, online appointment bookings have surged. A clinic partnered with an online platform stated that due to high order volumes, newly arrived stock is nearly depleted.

In this wave of weight-loss drugs, online platforms have clearly become the core gateway. Why are online platforms so popular?

VCBeat used JD Health as an example to experience the online appointment process and found that, in essence, the platform offers far more than just a gateway for finding medications.

Search for “Wegovy” on the JD.com app, or use the “Convenient Medicine Search” feature, to display the nearest partnered healthcare institutions that provide Wegovy. After selecting a healthcare institution and registering for an appointment, patients undergo medication assessment, consultation, prescription issuance, and in-person dispensing. Upon physician confirmation that the patient meets the indicated conditions, the medication can be obtained. In other words,By scheduling appointments online and picking up medications at nearby pharmacies, patients avoid the hassle of visiting multiple healthcare facilities in search of prescribed drugs.

However, even with “miracle drugs” like Wegovy, weight loss is not as effortless as “getting an injection and slimming down while lying down.”

The “Guidelines for Long-Term Weight Management and Clinical Application of Medications in Patients with Obesity (2024 Edition)” affirm the value of Wegovy® in long-term weight management for patients with overweight and obesity, while also pointing out that lifestyle intervention is the cornerstone of long-term weight management (during both the intensive treatment phase and the maintenance phase), including dietary management, exercise intervention, habit formation, and psychosocial support.

The guidelines note that lifestyle interventions for obesity are highly individualized, with patient adherence significantly influencing intervention outcomes. Therefore, in clinical practice, it is recommended that multidisciplinary clinicians engage in shared decision-making with patients to tailor adjustments based on their existing lifestyle preferences and habits, thereby developing individualized intervention plans that are acceptable and sustainable for the patient. This constitutes a key principle of lifestyle intervention.

Therefore, alongside the injections, patients face more long-term commitments. For instance, JD Health’s customized weight management package includes not only the Wegovy product itself but also pre-treatment blood tests to assess organ function, online guidance from weight loss consultants, follow-up dietary adjustments by nutritionists, composite probiotic and dietary fiber powders, medical supplies, and other services and products. These components help patients achieve personalized management and enhance the effectiveness of weight control.

Concurrently with the market launch of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk introduced a digital patient service platform that provides professional medication guidance, disease education content, and intelligent health management tools for patients already prescribed Wegovy, underscoring the importance of long-term disease management.

In short,Through online platforms, patients receive a weight management program that integrates online and offline services, ultimately achieving more effective weight loss goals.

This is not the first time that innovative drugs have set off a wave on online platforms.

In recent years, with the evolving landscape of in-hospital and out-of-hospital channels, online platforms have played an increasingly vital role in the initial launch of innovative drugs and the commercialization of blockbuster medicines, significantly improving patients’ access to medications and becoming a critical channel for pharmaceutical companies’ new product launches.

At the recently concluded 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), multiple multinational corporations (MNCs) announced a further deepening of their collaborations with domestic internet healthcare platforms to accelerate the clinical adoption of innovative drugs introduced into the Chinese market.

Taking JD Health as an example, at least six collaborative projects were finalized at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), with partners including Merck, Organon, Teva, MSD China, Haleon China, and Pfizer.

In the first half of 2024, JD Health also deepened its comprehensive collaborations with multiple global pharmaceutical companies, fully empowering brands in areas such as the inaugural launch of new and specialty drugs, omnichannel drug distribution, and digital marketing. Several new and specialty drugs made their debut on JD Pharmacy, including Shenyang Xingqi Pharmaceutical’s 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops (Meioupin), Sanofi’s new drug Zilbrysq, and GeneScience Pharmaceuticals’ new drug Meishiya.

Among these medications, 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops, indicated for slowing the progression of myopia in children aged 6 to 12 years, were highly anticipated by myopic children and their parents even before approval; their rapid market launch promptly met the treatment demand.

Looking further back, the launch of urgently needed medications—including COVID-19 and influenza treatments—on platforms such as JD Health addressed patients’ critical needs during the respective periods.

Looking Beyond the Surface: What Do Online Channels Truly Bring to Pharmaceutical Companies and Patients?

Typically, internet healthcare platforms establish service systems based on medical specialties and specific diseases, providing corresponding services around the diagnostic and treatment needs of these specialties and conditions. Therefore,By leveraging the characteristics of the internet, the platform can reduce information asymmetry between pharmaceutical companies and patients, more precisely help pharmaceutical enterprises identify patients, and more efficiently assist patients in finding appropriate and effective medications.

Taking rare diseases as an example, the limited number of patients for each rare disease and the difficulties in diagnosis constitute one of the key challenges in the research, development, and application of orphan drugs. Internet healthcare platforms leverage online consultation resources to provide assistance to pharmaceutical companies and patients in areas such as screening, diagnosis, and clinical trials, ultimately helping patients access new medications at the earliest opportunity.

Meanwhile, online platforms have integrated a full spectrum of services spanning consultation, e-prescribing, online medication purchase, and disease management. Platforms represented by JD Health have also launched “At-Home Rapid Testing” services, whereby physicians issue laboratory test orders based on diagnoses, nurses visit patients’ homes to collect blood and other samples for testing, and reports are delivered online, thereby facilitating precise diagnosis.The comprehensive service package can effectively improve patients' medication adherence. For patients, this translates to better therapeutic outcomes; for pharmaceutical companies, it means more stable drug sales.

The platform boasts reliable pharmaceutical distribution capabilities, further ensuring timely and safe medication use for patients, particularly for drugs with stringent storage and transportation requirements.In this regard, logistics efficiency has always been a strength of JD Health. Leveraging its network of 24 pharmaceutical warehouses across China, over 90% of orders are delivered on the same or next day, with cold-chain delivery covering more than 300 cities nationwide.

Overall, in the past, new drugs typically required a prolonged period of academic promotion and marketing after launch to generate sales; however, the internet has significantly shortened this cycle.

Certainly, the role of online platforms extends beyond merely driving the resurgence of blockbuster drugs; they must also uphold rigorous medical standards and collaborate with partners to safeguard medication safety for users. Only by fully realizing the clinical value of pharmaceuticals can their commercial value be maximized. We also look forward to closer ecological synergy between internet healthcare and pharmaceutical platforms and upstream stakeholders in the future, thereby making innovative and high-quality medicines more accessible to patients.

References:

Guidelines for Long-Term Weight Management and Clinical Application of Medications in Patients with Obesity (2024 Edition)