Novo Nordisk introduced its weight-loss drug Wegovy in South Africa last Thursday, marking its debut in Africa and stepping up competition with Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which launched in the country eight months ago, reports Reuters.
South Africa has the continent’s fourth-highest number of adults with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation, making it a key growth opportunity.
“One in two adults right now in the country is obese or is carrying excess weight,” said Sara Norcross, GM of Novo Nordisk South Africa, at the launch event.
“Wegovy is the first and only once-weekly GLP-1 right now that is registered for weight management,” she added.
Novo already sells Ozempic in South Africa for diabetes treatment, while Eli Lilly also sells Mounjaro – only for the treatment of type 2 diabetes – in the country, through Aspen Pharmacare, but some people take the drug for weight loss.
Wegovy, already launched in 35 countries, will be available in five dose strengths in South Africa, the company said.
Cental News reports that the drug is available right away in South Africa at registered pharmacies across the country. It’s a schedule 4 prescription-only medicine, and some dispensing doctors can provide it too.
On pricing, it’s similar to other GLP-1 drugs. A month’s supply at the highest dose (2.4 mg) should not cost more than R3 700, but lower doses are cheaper. For example, starting at 0.25 mg might be less. Pharmacies set exact prices, but it’s in line with competitors like Mounjaro, which starts at around R3 400 for the lowest dose. Ozempic, another semaglutide for diabetes (sometimes used off-label for weight), ranges from R2 700 to R3 100 per month.
It is not covered by medical aids as obesity isn’t seen as a chronic disease in South Africa, despite evidence. It falls outside the 26 prescribed minimum benefits. Talks are ongoing with schemes and government for better access, but it’s not universal yet.
Mounjaro, also a once-weekly injectable treatment, is priced at R3 400 for four vials of its lowest dose, depending on the pharmacy or clinic.
Africa expansion
Novo plans to expand Wegovy into other African markets, Norcross told Reuters, as part of a push to boost sales outside the United States.
“I believe it’s going to be launching in Egypt soon, and registrations are being submitted for other countries too,” she said.
The bulk of the company profits from Wegovy sales come from the US, where it competes with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro.
Norcross said that in South Africa alone, around 20m people are overweight or obese, though less than 1% currently receive treatment.
Meanwhile, a potential competitor to blockbuster obesity treatments from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk has just emerged from China, showing positive data, reports CNBC.
The experimental weekly injection developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Hengrui Pharma and its US-based partner, Kailera Therapeutics, succeeded in a late-stage trial in China, putting the pair on track to seek approval there.
Kailera is among several companies, such as Merck, Novo Nordisk and Regeneron, that have tapped the Chinese market in search of a drug that could win a slice of the booming weight loss drug market.
In May 2024, Kailera licensed rights outside the Greater China region to multiple experimental drugs from Hengrui in return for more than $100m in upfront and near-term payments, a 20% equity stake and nearly $6bn in future milestones.
Dubbed HRS9531, in the trial, the drug helped patients lose nearly 18% of their body weight on average after 48 weeks, which is more than 16% greater weight loss than those on a placebo saw.
Almost nine in 10 people who received the injection lost at least 5% of their body weight, and 44.4% of patients achieved at least 20% weight loss, according to a release from the companies. There was no plateau in weight loss at 48 weeks.
The companies didn’t disclose specific safety data or how well patients tolerated the drug, only saying those results were consistent with previous data on the treatment and other GLP-1s.
Most adverse events from the injection were gastrointestinal-related and mild to moderate in severity, the companies said.
Hengrui will file an approval application for the drug in China. Meanwhile, Kailera will start global studies that use higher doses and keep patients on the treatment for longer, the startup’s CEO Ron Renaud said.
It will probably still take several years before HRS9531 enters the market, particularly in the US and other nations outside China. But the treatment’s results appear to be promising, and position it as a potential competitor to Eli Lilly’s weekly weight loss injection Zepbound.
Both drugs work by activating two naturally produced hormones in the body: glucagon-like peptide-1, known as GLP-1, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, or GIP. The combination is said to slow the emptying of the stomach, making people feel full for longer and suppressing appetite by slowing hunger signals in the brain.
Across two phase three trials enrolling roughly 3 000 adults with obesity or type 2 diabetes, Zepbound helped patients lose an average of up to 21% of their body weight over 72 weeks.
It’s difficult to directly compare results from different clinical trials, especially since the latest results on HRS9531 were only from more than 500 patients.
But the drug still achieved significant weight loss over 48 weeks, raising hopes about its potential over a longer period of time.
Reuters article – Weight-loss drugs race gathers pace as Novo Nordisk debuts Wegovy in SA
Central News – Novo Nordisk Launches Wegovy in South Africa to Combat Soaring Obesity Rates
CNBC – Healthy Returns: Chinese obesity drug emerges as a potential rival to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound
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Obesity crisis the new ‘HIV epidemic’ for Africa
Which breakthrough weight-loss medicines are available in SA?
Aspen ready to help shrink global shortage of weight-loss drugs