- China will add semaglutide (a GLP‑1 diabetes drug) to its national essential drug list from Sept. 1, meaning public hospitals must prioritise stocking it.
- It’s the second GLP‑1 on the list after liraglutide, which should make semaglutide much more accessible nationwide — including rural hospitals — and ease rollout of generics once approved.
- The semaglutide patent expired in China in March and Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic sales there slipped recently, suggesting pricing and market dynamics may shift.
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