Novo Nordisk Highlights Cardiovascular Benefits of Oral Semaglutide at CIIE, Eyes Expansion in China's Chronic Disease Market

Novo Nordisk's star weight-loss drug, semaglutide, is currently the only GLP-1 class weight-loss medication with clear clinical evidence of cardiovascular benefits, and it will have a profound impact on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other obesity-related "comorbidities."

On November 6, at the site of the 8th China International Import Expo, weight loss drug giant Novo Nordisk signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Institute of Clinical Innovation and Translational Medicine. The two parties plan to carry out multi-faceted cooperation and exchanges in the fields of clinical research and translational research, accelerating the promotion of clinical research innovation in Shanghai.XinhuaTo accelerate the transformation of results, enabling innovative therapies to serve Chinese patients faster and more precisely.

Novo Nordisk's star weight-loss drug, semaglutide, is currently the only GLP-1 class weight-loss medication with clear clinical evidence of cardiovascular benefits, and it will have a profound impact on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other obesity-related "comorbidities."

On November 5 local time, Novo Nordisk announced the latest research data showing that the oral weight-loss drug semaglutide can improve blood sugar control and reduce cardiovascular risk factors. This therapy is expected to receive FDA approval in the United States by the end of this year and is likely to become the first approved oral GLP-1 class weight management drug.

The launch of this oral weight-loss drug will also provide new "ammunition" for Novo Nordisk, which is currently in a period of turmoil. This year, Novo Nordisk has been striving to address challenges such as slowing sales growth and layoffs, and the company's board of directors is also facing restructuring. On November 5, Novo Nordisk lowered its full-year profit and sales forecast, marking the third time the company has revised its performance expectations downward this year.

To lay out the next generation of weight-loss drug pipelines, Novo Nordisk is engaged in a bidding war with its American competitor Pfizer over Metsera, a developer of weight-loss therapies. Novo Nordisk has raised its latest bid to $10 billion.

Jefferies analyst Michael Leuchten said that given the current slowdown in the market growth of semaglutide, it casts a shadow over Novo Nordisk's development prospects. Drugs related to semaglutide are expected to account for approximately 60% of the company’s revenue.

Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar, who just took office in August this year, stated at the earnings conference: "The competition in the weight-loss drug market is a marathon, not a sprint." He indicated that Novo Nordisk will aim to expand the sales reach of its weight-loss drugs to benefit hundreds of millions of obese patients worldwide.

He emphasized that when addressing obesity, market share is not the key issue; the crucial problems lie in market access and patients' accessibility to therapies. "Many competitors are vying for a market of one or two million patients, but the global obese population reaches up to one billion, with many unable to access medication," said Duhstal. To this end, Novo Nordisk is reaching cooperation agreements with multiple channels to expand its direct-to-consumer sales channels.

Whether it can occupy a place in the Chinese market will also determine the global competitiveness of Novo Nordisk's weight loss drugs. China has a huge market of obesity patients and is also an important market for therapies for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and fatty liver. The rate of overweight and obesity among Chinese adults has reached 50.7%, and the prevalence of fatty liver in China has also exceeded 30%.

In recent years, major pharmaceutical giants such as Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Novartis have been increasing their investment in China's chronic disease market. At this year's CIIE, Eli Lilly launched the "Body Resistance Decoding Exhibition," emphasizing that obesity is a chronic disease with complex physiological mechanisms like "metabolic adaptation" behind it. Weight loss requires not only lifestyle improvements but also drug intervention under a doctor’s guidance.