Key facts
- Weight-loss drugmakers are using indirect advertising methods in China due to restrictions on promoting prescription medicines.
- Companies are running obesity awareness campaigns in public spaces like metro stations, gyms, and stadiums.
- China's overweight or obese population is projected to exceed 65% by 2030.
- Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Innovent Biologics are key competitors in the Chinese GLP-1 weight-loss injection market.
- Some campaigns, like Eli Lilly's, link weight management to conditions such as sleep apnea, while others focus on fatty liver disease.
- Sales of GLP-1 therapies for weight management in China are expected to grow significantly.
Weight-loss drugmakers are employing creative strategies to raise obesity awareness and promote their products in China, navigating strict regulations that prohibit direct advertising of prescription medicines. Companies like Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and Innovent Biologics are leveraging public spaces such as metro stations, exercise studios, and soccer stadiums to reach consumers.
China's National Health Commission projects that over 65% of its population could be overweight or obese by 2030, highlighting a significant market opportunity. The competition for market share in once-weekly GLP-1 weight-loss injections is intensifying, with Lilly leading sales on major e-commerce platforms in the second quarter.
Due to regulations, drug companies cannot mention product names directly but can inform the public about disease risks and encourage doctor consultations. Eli Lilly's campaigns have linked snoring, a symptom of sleep apnea, to being overweight, while Innovent Biologics and Meituan have advertised "scientific weight management" to combat fatty liver disease. Pfizer has also engaged in partnerships with fitness chains for "healthy weight loss parties."
Experts note that these promotional efforts for weight-loss drugs are more visible in public settings compared to those for other chronic diseases. This indirect marketing, coupled with social media and word-of-mouth, is leading patients to inquire about specific medications like Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, Lilly's tirzepatide, and Innovent's mazdutide.
J.P. Morgan forecasts that sales of GLP-1 therapies for weight management in China could reach 30 billion yuan within five to seven years, a substantial increase from current estimates. Novo Nordisk, in particular, is reassessing its communication strategies to be more accessible and educational to the public, learning from competitors' more direct messaging.
However, some medical and legal experts caution that these campaigns might blur the lines into actual drug advertising. Eli Lilly previously paused a similar campaign in India due to regulatory concerns. While companies maintain their activities are educational and compliant with health strategies, the aggressive promotion in a market with significant health challenges and regulatory hurdles continues.