Novo Nordisk A/S: China’s Supreme People’s Court delivers a positive ruling on the semaglutide compound patent

Core Viewpoint - The Supreme People's Court in China upheld the validity of the semaglutide compound patent, which is a significant positive outcome for Novo Nordisk and demonstrates strong government support for medical innovation [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark, focusing on chronic diseases, particularly diabetes [4]. - The company employs approximately 78,500 people across 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries [4]. Group 2: Product Information - Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 analogue developed by Novo Nordisk, used in medications such as Wegovy for obesity and Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes [2]. - Since its launch, semaglutide has achieved broad clinical recognition with approximately 38 million patient-years of use [2]. Group 3: Market Impact - The ruling regarding the semaglutide patent is expected to bolster confidence for foreign companies in China and encourage further development of innovative medicines [2]. - Novo Nordisk anticipates that the compound patent expiry in certain countries will have a low-single-digit negative impact on global sales growth in 2026, but this ruling does not change previous communications regarding this impact [3].