Biocon Drops China Plans for Ozempic, Wegovy Generics Amid Fierce Local Competition
Indian biopharmaceutical company Biocon has decided to withdraw its plans to launch generic versions of Novo Nordisk’s popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, in China. Amit Kaptain, head of Biocon’s commercial API division, confirmed the decision during an industry event in Shanghai, stating that the Chinese market is already saturated with competitors. “We decided not to supply or register the product in China, either as finished product or API, because there is ample capacity and players available,” Kaptain told Reuters.
In 2024, Biocon had initially expressed interest in entering the Chinese market following clinical trials, aiming to tap into the growing demand for semaglutide-based treatments. However, the company’s products would have faced stiff competition, with at least 15 Chinese drugmakers already developing biosimilars or generics in anticipation of the semaglutide patent expiry in 2026.
China is poised to become a major battleground for weight-loss and diabetes drugs, with public health studies projecting that the number of overweight adults in the country will reach 540 million by 2030, and obesity affecting 150 million. The massive demand has prompted a surge in local development of alternatives, making the market less viable for new foreign entrants like Biocon.
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