Novo Nordisk (CPH: NOVO-B), headquartered in Denmark, has announced that it will launch its anti-obesity medicine Wegovy (semaglutide) in the Japan market on February 22, 2024, marking the GLP-1 drug’s debut in the Asia region. Wegovy will be priced at JPY 7,504 (USD 50.4) for the starter dose and JPY 42,960 (USD 288.4) per monthly dose for eligible patients.
Currently, the company is grappling with high demand for Wegovy, which has only been launched in Germany, Denmark, Norway, the UK, and the US. Earlier this month, Novo Nordisk announced a DNK 42 billion (USD 6.0 billion) investment to expand production capacity in Denmark. The selection of Japan as the next market appears strategic, given the country’s low adult obesity rate of 4.5%, suggesting a potentially manageable increase in demand.- Flcube.com
