Novo Nordisk has launched its blockbuster Wegovy weight-loss drug in China, adding the world’s second-largest economy to its growing list of markets where appetite for the drugs are rising.The first prescription for Wegovy in China will be issued at a public hospital in Shanghai this week and will cost about 1,

Patients in China will be able to purchase the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy for 1,400 yuan, or about $193, just a fraction of the US list price of $1,349, according to media reports.

Novo Nordisk's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available for use in China, the company confirmed to AFP on Tuesday, as the Asian nation battles high rates of obesity.A Novo Nordisk spokesperson confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that the drug was "now available in China" for the treatment of adults with obesity and those overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

Novo Nordisk A/S is launching its top-selling Wegovy obesity drug in China at a fraction of the US price, a key step in unlocking a big, fast-growing market for its blockbuster franchise.

Novo Nordisk gained approval for Wegovy in China in June, and will initially target Chinese patients willing to pay out-of-pocket for the weekly injectable drug

Wegovy is being made available to Chinese patients five months after its approval in the country. Novo will sell the medicine for about $193.27 for a one-month supply.

Lilly’s reps presented a slide deck that laid out data on the effectiveness of Lilly’s weight-loss drug Zepbound. The goal of the hourlong meeting with association leaders was to cement one core message: Obesity care is healthcare.

Novo Nordisk reported forecast-beating third-quarter sales of its popular Wegovy weight-loss drug on Wednesday, reassuring investors worried that demand was slowing and it could lose the race in the fast-growing obesity drug market.

The weight loss drug boom is here, and even retailers like Walmart are starting to feel the pressure to compete.