SHANGHAI – Weight-loss drugmakers, vying to tighten the belts of Chinese consumers, are promoting obesity awareness in metro stations, exercise studios and soccer stadiums as local restrictions prevent the direct advertising of prescription medicines in the world’s second-largest drug market.
The proportion of China’s population that is overweight or obese could reach more than 65% by 2030, the country’s National Health Commission has said.
Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and local firm Innovent Biologics are competing for market share with their versions of once-weekly GLP-1 weight-loss injections in China. Lilly led the once-weekly GLP-1 sales on Alibaba’s Tmall e-commerce platform and JD.com in the second quarter, according to Jefferies.
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