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China Adds Diabetes Drug to Essential List
10 Jul
Summary
- China prioritizes a second GLP-1 drug for public hospitals.
- Semaglutide will be accessible even in remote rural hospitals.
- Generics of semaglutide may become broadly available soon.
Effective September 1, China will include semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug used for diabetes, on its national essential drug list. This mandate requires all public hospitals to prioritize stocking the medication. Semaglutide will be categorized under insulin and blood glucose-lowering medications.
The listing ensures that semaglutide, including its Ozempic brand version, will be available even in distant rural hospitals across China. This accessibility is projected to extend to generic versions once they gain approval in the Chinese market.
This marks the second GLP-1 drug to achieve essential status in China, following liraglutide. The patent for semaglutide's active ingredient expired in China in March, with regulatory data protection extending until early next year.
