Bei Ke Cai Jing·2025-05-12 12:44Core Insights - The sales of semaglutide reached 55.776 billion Danish Krone (approximately 8.4 billion USD) in Q1 2023, marking a 32% year-on-year increase, surpassing Merck's pembrolizumab (Keytruda) [1][2] - Novo Nordisk's total sales for Q1 2023 were 78.087 billion Danish Krone (approximately 11.8 billion USD), with a year-on-year growth of 18% [2] - The Chinese market contributed 5.622 billion Danish Krone (approximately 0.852 billion USD) to Novo Nordisk's revenue, reflecting a 22% increase [2] Sales Performance - Semaglutide's sales breakdown includes: - Ozempic (diabetes version) generated 32.721 billion Danish Krone (approximately 4.9 billion USD), a 15% increase at constant exchange rates - Rybelsus (oral version) generated 5.695 billion Danish Krone (approximately 0.85 billion USD), a 13% increase at constant exchange rates - Wegovy (weight loss version) generated 17.36 billion Danish Krone (approximately 2.6 billion USD), an 83% increase at constant exchange rates - The total revenue contribution from all three versions of semaglutide was 56.934 billion Danish Krone (approximately 8.4 billion USD) in Q1 2023 [2][3] Competitive Landscape - Semaglutide is considered a strong competitor to pembrolizumab, with a sales gap of approximately 4 billion USD in 2023 [3] - Eli Lilly's tirzepatide is emerging as a formidable competitor, showing superior results in clinical trials compared to semaglutide [4][5] - Tirzepatide's sales in Q1 2023 reached 3.84 billion USD for the diabetes version and 2.31 billion USD for the weight loss version, totaling 6.15 billion USD [5] Market Dynamics - The market for GLP-1 receptor agonists is becoming increasingly competitive, with over 20 domestic companies in China developing biosimilars for semaglutide [6][7] - The core patent for semaglutide in China is set to expire on March 20, 2026, leading to anticipated competition from biosimilars [7] - Companies like Jiuyuan Gene, Lijun Group, and Qilu Pharmaceutical are among those developing biosimilars for diabetes and weight management indications [8] Future Outlook - The competition in the GLP-1 market is expected to intensify as both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly continue to innovate and expand their product lines [9]