China's rival to Ozempic will now be sold online
What's the story
Innovent Biologics, the first Chinese firm to get regulatory approval for a GLP-1 drug targeting weight loss and diabetes, has partnered with JD Health for online distribution. The move comes as both companies look to tap into a market that could be worth CNY 40 billion ($5.6 billion) by 2035. The partnership will also see them work on supply chain and sales channel development ahead of the launch of Innovent's mazdutide drug.
Drug details
World's 1st dual-target GLP-1 drug
Innovent, based in Jiangsu province, recently got Chinese regulatory approval for mazdutide. The company claims it is the world's first drug to mimic natural hormones of GLP-1 and glucagon. These hormones play a vital role in regulating blood glucose levels. GLP-1 drugs are known to copy the effects of naturally occurring hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, which regulates blood sugar levels, curbs appetite and slows digestion.
Treatment availability
Innovent aims to address obesity in China
Innovent is committed to making its dual-target, liver fat-lowering weight loss therapy available to obese patients as soon as possible. The company's chairman Michael Yu Dechao said this would contribute toward the weight management and healthy China initiatives. A 2022 study found that an estimated 34.3% of mainland Chinese adults were overweight and 11.2% were obese, highlighting the need for effective obesity treatments in the country.
Distribution support
JD Health's extensive distribution network
JD Health, one of China's biggest online healthcare platforms, has over 183.6 million annual active users and an average daily online medical consultation volume of 490,000. The company's distribution network covers more than 100,000 third-party merchants. Innovent hopes JD Health's cold storage facilities in some 300 cities across the mainland would meet its requirement for GLP-1 drugs to be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius during transit.
Previous partnerships
JD Health helped distribute Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drug in China
Last year, JD Health assisted several global pharma companies in distributing new drugs in China. This included US-based Eli Lilly's GLP-1 diabetes and weight loss drug tirzepatide, a competitor to Novo Nordisk's semaglutide. Novo Nordisk is currently leading the sales of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss applications in China.