Chinese firms pivot to generics as U.S. weight-loss drug boom slows
Some Chinese pharmaceutical companies are shifting focus to producing generic versions of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound as U.S. demand for makeshift weight-loss drugs slows. Over the past two years, Chinese suppliers provided raw ingredients for more than a billion doses sold online by compounding pharmacies, fueled by telehealth services.
The surge in popularity of semaglutide- and tirzepatide-based treatments, which can help patients lose up to 20% of their weight, led to shortages of the branded drugs. U.S. regulators have since restricted the sale of compounded versions, reducing shipments from Chinese suppliers, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Companies including Jiangsu Sinopep-Allsino Biopharmaceutical and Hybio Pharmaceutical are now targeting markets where patents are set to expire, such as Canada and Brazil, and developing FDA-approved generic drugs. Despite the shift, industry experts say replicating the injectable drugs is complex, and the explosive growth seen during the U.S. craze is unlikely to return.
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