Novo Nordisk’s Weight-Loss Oral Drug Makes New Progress in China Approval | NAI 500
Novo Nordisk’s Weight-Loss Oral Drug Makes New Progress in China Approval
Novo Nordisk (NVO) has received acceptance in China for the marketing application of its NovoWei® tablets (semaglutide tablets), marking a continuation of the company’s technological breakthroughs and global commercial experience in the oral weight-loss drug space. This signifies that the world’s first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for weight management has taken a critical step closer to entering the Chinese market. Despite short-term volatility caused by quarterly sales figures that slightly missed expectations, the long-term investment thesis remains intact, supported by the unique advantages of its oral dosage form, strong capacity to capture new patient populations, and a robust pipeline of follow-up products. For Chinese patients with obesity, the review progress of this innovative drug suggests that future weight management may offer more convenient and scientifically grounded treatment options.
Breaking Through the Oral Peptide Barrier, Achieving a Hundredfold Increase in Bioavailability
This registration application is primarily based on the OASIS clinical research program. This Phase 3 clinical development program, focused on once-daily semaglutide tablets, enrolled a total of 1,300 adult patients with obesity or overweight with comorbidities globally, including Chinese participants. As a chronic and complex disease, obesity requires long-term scientific management, and patients have diverse needs regarding administration routes. With the absorption enhancer SNAC, semaglutide tablets have overcome the technical bottleneck that has made oral delivery of peptide drugs nearly impossible for over a century. SNAC raises local gastric mucosal pH to reduce enzymatic degradation while enhancing cell membrane fluidity to facilitate transcellular transport, thereby increasing the bioavailability of oral semaglutide by approximately 100-fold and making once-daily oral administration feasible.
Over 5 Million Global Prescriptions, with the Chinese Market Poised for Growth
Dr. Cai Yan, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk and President of Greater China, stated that the company has been deeply engaged in the obesity field for over three decades, committed to providing a broad range of treatment options to meet individualized needs and shifting the treatment focus from mere weight numbers to overall health and long-term outcomes. NovoWei® tablets are expected to offer Chinese patients a more convenient and standardized management solution. Currently, the drug has been approved in multiple countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Since its U.S. launch in January 2026, cumulative prescriptions have exceeded 5 million, with data showing that over 80% of prescriptions come from individuals who had not previously used GLP-1 medications, demonstrating strong market expansion potential.
Short-Term Performance Fluctuations Do Not Undermine Long-Term Fundamentals
Although Novo Nordisk temporarily leads its primary competitor Eli Lilly (LLY) in the oral weight-loss drug segment, its latest financial update showed that Wegovy oral tablets (i.e., NovoWei®) posted second-quarter sales of DKK 3.22 billion (approximately USD 500 million), slightly below analyst expectations of DKK 3.3 billion (approximately USD 510 million), triggering short-term market fluctuations. However, the company still has multiple mid- to late-stage candidate drugs in its pipeline, which are expected to further solidify its competitive position in the rapidly growing oral GLP-1 therapeutic space.
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