(Yicai) June 17 -- Novo Nordisk plans to submit its oral Wegovy weight-management pill for regulatory approval in China within weeks or months, not years, Chief Executive Officer Mike Doustdar said during an interview with Yicai.

The filing would pave the way for the launch of what could be China's first approved oral peptide glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight-loss drug, further strengthening Novo Nordisk's position in one of its key growth markets. China remains the Danish drugmaker's second-largest market after the United States, a status that has not changed since Doustdar became CEO last August.

Making his first visit to China as CEO, Doustdar was accompanied by other senior executives, including Board Chairman Helge Lund, Novo Nordisk Foundation Chairman Lars Rebien Sørensen, and Vice Chairman Steen Riisgaard.

He expressed full confidence in Wegovy’s China launch readiness. The tablet has already achieved great commercial success in the US and the United Arab Emirates. For the Chinese market, Novo Nordisk will take a dual-track approach, combining physician-led clinical promotion with digital health and social media engagement to address both medical and consumer demand for weight management while complying with local regulations.

When asked whether the Wegovy pill could eventually be produced in China, Doustdar said the tablets are currently manufactured at two facilities in Denmark and the US, although the company will continue evaluating future production locations.

"Novo Nordisk does not build factories in every market we operate,” he said. “We handpick strategic locations and make large-scale investments there to achieve economies of scale, as our chronic disease treatments require tens of millions of doses. China is definitely one of our core strategic markets.”

Doustdar noted that Novo Nordisk has already established a full value chain in China and that its Tianjin production site remains an important strategic asset that could support future expansion plans.

Benefits Beyond Weight Loss

Semaglutide, developed by Novo Nordisk, was the world's first approved GLP-1 therapy for weight management. Once approved in China, the Wegovy pill would become the country's first oral peptide-based GLP-1 obesity treatment. Eli Lilly submitted an application for an oral weight-loss drug in China in March, but its candidate is a small-molecule product rather than a peptide-based GLP-1 therapy.

Doustdar also praised China's efforts to accelerate approvals for innovative medicines. “From my understanding, innovative drugs can now complete filing and launch within one year in China, a dramatic speed improvement," he said.

Chinese regulators have introduced several reforms, including expedited review pathways, and Novo Nordisk continues to engage with authorities on ways to improve review efficiency while maintaining patient safety, he added.

Doustdar said obesity and GLP-1 therapies are often misunderstood. Many people view obesity treatment solely through the lens of weight reduction, while investors focus heavily on weight-loss percentages and overlook semaglutide's broader health benefits, including cardiovascular, liver, and kidney protection.

Addressing these unmet medical needs will require continued pharmaceutical innovation, he said, adding that Novo Nordisk is exploring additional uses for its GLP-1 portfolio beyond weight management.

The company expects its next blockbuster medicine to emerge from efforts to address those unmet needs, according to Doustdar. Future pipeline candidates are being developed to provide benefits across multiple organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys, brain, as well as bones and muscles, in addition to weight-loss efficacy.

Editor: Emmi Laine