Novo Nordisk's Wegovy® (Semaglutide 2.4 mg) Approved in China for Reducing Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Adults with Obesity and Established CVD

Apr 21, 2025 17:14 CST Updated 17:14

Novo Nordisk

Insulin Developer and Manufacturer

On April 21, 2025, Novo Nordisk announced the launch of "Weight-Loss Injectable Version" of Semaglutide, marketed as NovoGain®.2.4mgUpdated Instructions"Used forLong-term Weight Management and Reduction of MACE Risk"Official"Approved by the National Medical Products Administration. According to the SELECT results, in adult patients who are overweight or obese and have confirmed cardiovascular disease without diabetes, Novo Nordisk's Saxenda®Can reduce the risk of MACE by up to 20%.

It was reported that SELECT is an international, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluateDepartmentSemaglutide 2.4mg and placebo combined with standard treatment in overweight or obese individuals with established cardiovascular disease but no history of diabetesEffectiveness in Preventing MACE。Novo Nordisk®As the world's first and currently only approved drug for long-term weight management and reduction of MACE risk (including cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke), and has been recommended by multiple guidelines so far. In the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, NovoGain® is the only obesity treatment drug recommended to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke; meanwhile, China’s "Obesity Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (2024 Edition)" explicitly mentions the cardiovascular protective effects of NovoGain® as well as the main results of the SELECT trial. Novo Nordisk, the original research company of semaglutide,"Blood Sugar Lowering Injection Version"Approved by the US FDA in December 2017, by the European EMA in February 2018, with the trade name Ozempic®, and by the China National Medical Products Administration in April 2021, with the trade nameForNovo Nordisk®;"Weight Loss Injection Version"Approved by the US FDA in June 2021 and by the European EMA in January 2022, trade nameForWegovy®, approved by the China National Medical Products Administration in June 2024, trade nameForNovoNordisk®；"Blood Sugar Lowering Oral Version"Approved by the U.S. FDA in September 2019, with the brand name Rybelsus.®, Approved by the China National Medical Products Administration in January 2024, Trade NameForNovo Nordisk®. Novo Nordisk"Hypoglycemic Oral Version"Semaglutide is currently the only approved oral GLP-1 drug on the market,"Weight Loss Oral Version"Not yet approved in any country or region。

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a world-leading biopharmaceutical company dedicated to human health, benefiting patients, doctors, and society with advanced biotechnology. Novo Nordisk holdsThe Most Widely Used Diabetes TreatmentProducts, including the most advanced insulin delivery systems, and Novo Nordisk also leads globally in hemostasis management, growth care hormones, and hormone replacement therapy.

Novo Nordisk, headquartered in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, now has branches in 79 countries worldwide, production facilities in 6 countries, over 26,300 employees, and sales in 180 countries. In early 1994, the Novo Nordisk Board of Directors approved a strategic investment plan for China and established a presence in Beijing.Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and Biotechnology Research and Development Center have built a modern production plant in Tianjin and established offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan, Jinan, and Hong Kong.Centered around a sales network spread across China.

On April 27, 2021, the "Semaglutide Injection" NovoPen® Ozempic applied by Novo Nordisk was officially approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).，Indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Registration Certificate No.: National Medicine Approval No. SJ20210014 and SJ20210015, Product Specifications: 1.34:1.5ml and 1.34:3ml.

On January 26, 2024, Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide tablets were approved for marketing. This approval marks the availability of oral semaglutide tablets., used to treat adult Type 2 diabetes, with the brand name "NovoRin". It is reported that,Novo Xinx is the world's first and only innovationOral GLP-1RA receptor agonists are expected to lead the new standard for oral hypoglycemic treatment in China.

On May 9, 2024, Novo Nordisk entered into a strategic collaboration with Flagship and its subsidiary Metaphore to jointly develop two next-generation therapies for weight loss.Metaphore will collaborate withFlagship'sPioneering Medicines, the internal drug development division, and Novo Nordisk jointly launched a research and development project. Metaphore is responsible for product development and preclinical research, while Novo Nordisk is in charge of advancing these projects to the clinical stage.

On June 24, 2024, Novo Nordisk announced that the company will invest $4.1 billion inConstruction of the Second Filling and Finishing Manufacturing Plant in Clayton, North Carolina, USADrugs for the production of semaglutide with two indications: "weight loss and diabetes". It is reported that,New FactoryTotal占地面积 reaches 26 acres, with an increase of 1.4 million square feet of production space for aseptic manufacturing and finished product production processes. Construction will be completed in phases between 2027 and 2029.

On June 25, 2024, Novo Nordisk announced that its "Semaglutide Injection" (brand name: Wegovy®), developed and produced for long-term weight management, has been officially approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration.。It is reported that,NovoErect® is the world's first and currently the only GLP-1RA weekly formulation for long-term weight management, capable of achievingAverage 17% (16.8kg)TheBodySignificant Reduction。

It is reported that,NovoNordisk® is divided by dosage and specifications intoGreen Pen with a Dosage of 0.25mg, specification: 0.68mg:1.5ml/Box；Pink Pen with a Dosage of 0.5mg, specification: 0.68mg:1.5ml/Box；Dose 1.0mgThe brown pen, with a specification of 1.34mg:3ml/box,Blue pen with a dose of 1.7mg, with a specification of 2.27mg:3ml/Box；Gray pen with a dose of 2.4mg, with a specification of 3.2mg:3ml/Box, corresponding to use in five time periods: 1-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 13-16 weeks, and 17 weeks or more.

On August 26, 2024, Novo Nordisk's "Semaglutide Injection"New IndicationThe marketing application for "Chronic Kidney Disease CKD" has been officially accepted by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).It is reported that, as of now, Novo Nordisk's semaglutide has been approved in China for two indications: "type 2 diabetes" and "long-term weight management."

On November 17, 2024, Novo Nordisk officially announced that the world's first and currently only GLP-1RA weekly formulation for long-term weight management, Wegovy®, has officially launched in China.At the same time, Novo Nordisk launched the "NovoCare NovoWin® Exclusive Edition," a digital patient service platform designed to provide integrated and comprehensive support for patients on their weight-loss journey.

On December 7, 2024, the marketing application for "IcoSema Insulin Ecolinumab Injection" submitted by Novo Nordisk was accepted by the National Medical Products Administration.。It is reported that IcoSema is a compound preparation combining insulin icodec and semaglutide in a fixed ratio.The indication for which this application in China is being filed is for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

January 11, 2025,Under Novo NordiskOral VersionSemaglutide TabletsNovoRapid® officially relaunched in China.It is reported that,NovoXin® enables patients to benefit earlier from GLP-1RA class drugs through oral administration, helping achieve optimal blood glucose control.The approved indication is for the treatment of adult type 2 diabetes.

On January 28, 2025, the U.S. FDA officially approved the indication for Ozempic® (semaglutide) by Novo Nordisk to "reduce the risk of kidney disease progression, kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease), and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).", also becoming the world's first GLP-1 drug for the treatment of CKD.

On February 5, 2025, Novo Nordisk announced that the company's total revenue for the fiscal year 2024 was approximately USD 42.149 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 26%.It is reported that the total revenue of semaglutide's three indications was approximately US$29.296 billion, increasing by 38% year-on-year. Among them, the sales of Wegovy® were US$8.448 billion, the sales of Rybelsus® were US$3.382 billion, and the sales of Ozempic® were US$17.466 billion.

On February 12, 2025, the new indication for Novo Nordisk's semaglutide injection was officially accepted by the National Medical Products Administration.It is reported that the new indication applied for this time may be used for the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in obese or overweight adults with confirmed cardiovascular disease.As of now, it has been successively approved in China for type 2 diabetes and long-term weight management.

On February 26, 2025, Novo Nordisk A/SThe dual agonist Amycretin® injection has been officially approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for clinical use to reduce body weight in overweight or obese adult patients.It is reported that Amycretin includes two forms: oral and injectable. The "weight-loss oral version" of Amycretin tablets has been approved for clinical use in China on April 10, 2024.

March 10, 2025, Novo Nordisk's Next-Generation Weight Loss DrugCagriSemaIn the Phase III clinical trial REDEFINE 2 for patients with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, the primary endpoint was achieved.It is reported that,CagriSema is a combination of semaglutide and a long-acting amylin analog called cagrilintide.Compound preparation。

On March 24, 2025, Novo Nordisk entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Federal Biologics, a subsidiary of Federal Pharmaceutical, for the investigational therapy UBT251.It is reported that,UBT251 is a triple agonist of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon (GCG) receptors, currently in the early stage of clinical development for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases.

On March 28, 2025, Novo Nordisk andLexicon PharmaceuticalsSigned an exclusive license agreement for LX9851.It is reported that LX9851, an oral non-incretin candidate drug for obesity and related metabolic disorders, has been acquired by Novo Nordisk.Global exclusive license for the development, manufacture, and commercialization of LX9851 for all indications.

April 7, 2025Novo NordiskOfficially reached a strategic cooperation with Tencent Health,Both parties will rely on the WeChat platform-based"Tencent Health" Mini Program and Authoritative Medical Popularization "Tencent Medical Encyclopedia", creating a one-stop "Weight Management Knowledge and Service Zone" to help the public understand healthy weight standards, master weight management methods, scientifically manage weight, and by improving the accessibility of obesity diagnosis and treatment, support early diagnosis and early treatment for obese populations.