STAT+: As China’s Drug Industry Races Ahead, Its GLP-1 Race Is Accelerating Too

Why It Matters

The sales drop highlights China’s growing ability to develop and market its own GLP‑1 therapies, threatening the revenue base of global leaders. This shift could reshape worldwide pharma strategies and R&D investment priorities.

Key Takeaways

• Ozempic sales fell 5% in China, first decline
• Novo’s China growth lagged while global sales rose
• Chinese market now producing novel GLP‑1 therapies
• Western firms risk losing dominance as local competition rises
• GLP‑1 demand remains strong despite Novo’s sales dip

Pulse Analysis

China’s biotech ecosystem has moved from a copycat phase to genuine innovation, and the GLP‑1 class exemplifies that transition. Once dominated by foreign giants, the segment now sees domestic firms launching their own peptide analogues, backed by robust government incentives and a massive patient pool. This evolution expands the overall market size, with estimates suggesting China could account for over 30% of global GLP‑1 demand by 2030, creating new revenue streams and competitive pressures.

Novo Nordisk’s recent 5% sales contraction for Ozempic in China marks a watershed moment. While the drug continues to grow in the U.S., Europe and the broader Asia‑Pacific, the Chinese slowdown reflects both price competition and the emergence of locally produced alternatives that promise comparable efficacy at lower cost. Competitors such as Livzon and Henlius are accelerating clinical pipelines, leveraging domestic manufacturing efficiencies and faster regulatory pathways. For Western players, the challenge is two‑fold: protect premium pricing while adapting to a market that increasingly favors homegrown solutions.

The broader implication for the global pharmaceutical industry is a strategic pivot toward deeper collaboration or acquisition of Chinese innovators. Companies may need to reassess R&D allocations, prioritize joint ventures, and tailor pricing models to remain viable in China’s fast‑moving landscape. As the GLP‑1 market matures, the balance of power could shift, compelling established firms to innovate not just in molecules but also in market access strategies, ensuring they retain relevance in the world’s second‑largest economy.

STAT+: As China’s drug industry races ahead, its GLP-1 race is accelerating too

As China’s drug industry races ahead, its GLP‑1 race is accelerating too · Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly still enjoy advantages, but there could be early cracks in their dominance · By Brian Yang · Feb. 17, 2026

For American and European drugmakers, the story of China today is one of a fast‑developing market — one producing not only “me‑too” therapies but increasingly novel medications as well. And to understand what these shifts might mean for global pharmaceutical companies, look no further than the market for GLP‑1 drugs, in particular.

Earlier this month, Novo Nordisk reported that it saw sales of its diabetes therapy Ozempic decline by 5 % in China last year, the first time sales of the medication have fallen since it was approved there in 2021. It’s particularly notable given that sales in all other markets continued to increase — up 9 % in the U.S., 17 % in Europe and Canada, and 8 % for the rest of the Asia‑Pacific region.

“Pretty much all regions did well, with maybe the exception of China. We had higher hopes for China,” Novo CEO Mike Doustdar said in a same‑day earnings call.

---

About the author

Brian Yang is a freelance reporter who has covered the Chinese biopharma industry for more than 12 years. He was previously managing editor for Citeline’s Scrip and Pink Sheet in Beijing.