The Development History Of Semaglutide

In the 1980s, working as an independent researcher, Mojsov conducted a series of experiments to identify and characterize biologically active GLP-1, demonstrating its ability to trigger insulin secretion; this pioneering work laid the foundation for the subsequent development of drugs such as semaglutide.
In December 2017, semaglutide received FDA approval for use in adults with type 2 diabetes to control blood glucose levels.
In January 2020, the FDA granted a second approval for semaglutide, authorizing its use in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease to reduce the risk of associated cardiovascular events.
In April 2021, semaglutide was approved for use in mainland China; its approved indications mirrored the two indications initially approved in the U.S. market, and the drug was subsequently included in the national medical insurance coverage.
In June 2021, the drug was approved in the U.S. for long-term weight management. Clinical study results demonstrated that obese patients receiving continuous treatment with the drug achieved an average weight loss of 17% to 18% after 68 weeks. However, as of May 15, 2023, the weight-loss indication for the drug had not yet been approved in China.
On January 26, 2024, Novo Nordisk's semaglutide tablets received marketing approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This marked the first oral GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist to be approved for marketing in China.
On March 8, 2024 (local time), Novo Nordisk announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved its weight-loss medication, Wegovy (semaglutide injection), for use in reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in overweight or obese patients with established cardiovascular disease.
In June 2024, the National Medical Products Administration approved the marketing application for *Nuohuaying* (semaglutide injection for long-term weight management)-developed and manufactured by Novo Nordisk-for use in China.
On November 17, 2024, Novo Nordisk China held a media conference in Shanghai to announce the official launch of the weight-loss formulation of semaglutide in the Chinese market. On December 31, 2024, notification records from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) indicated that Jiuyuan Gene's Semaglutide Injection was listed among the items receiving official correspondence; this signifies that the product has not yet received approval. On April 2, 2024, Jiuyuan Gene submitted a marketing application for its Semaglutide Injection, which was subsequently accepted for review; this marked the first time a Semaglutide biosimilar had been submitted for marketing approval within China.
In January 2025, Novo Nordisk announced the full launch in China of *Rybelsus* (Semaglutide Tablets)-the world's first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA).
In June 2025, Novo Nordisk released the latest research findings on Semaglutide, demonstrating that increased dosages yield more significant weight loss results while maintaining a consistent safety profile.
On July 9, 2025, news emerged that Novo Nordisk's marketing application for a 7.2 mg Semaglutide formulation, intended for weight management, had been accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
On July 18, 2025, the official website of China's NMPA published an update announcing that *Ozempic* (Semaglutide Injection)-developed by Novo Nordisk-had received approval for a new indication: reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, renal failure (end-stage renal disease), and death in adults with type 2 diabetes and concomitant chronic kidney disease.
In August 2025, the list of the top 10 best-selling drugs globally for the first half of 2025 was released. Following its overtaking of *Keytruda* (Merck's Pembrolizumab) in the first quarter of 2025, Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide continued to firmly hold the title of the "King of Drugs" in the first half of the year, generating sales revenue of 112.756 billion Danish kroner (equivalent to approximately US$16.683 billion, based on an exchange rate of 1 DKK = 0.14796 USD). In September 2025, the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines was updated to include GLP-1 receptor agonists-semaglutide, dulaglutide, and liraglutide-as well as the GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) dual receptor agonist, tirzepatide.
In December 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first guidelines regarding the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for the treatment of obesity. GLP-1 therapies may be used for the long-term treatment of obesity in adults (excluding pregnant women).
In December 2025, the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) added 114 new drugs, effective January 1, 2026. Among these additions, semaglutide from pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk (NVO.N) and tirzepatide from Eli Lilly (LLY.N) were included in the section of the NRDL designated for drugs negotiated under a specific agreement period.
On December 23, 2025, reports indicated that U.S. regulatory authorities had approved the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss pill. The new medication is expected to go on sale in the United States in early January 2026.
On January 12, 2026, a reporter from *Times Weekly* learned from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital that Novo Nordisk's injectable semaglutide for weight loss (marketed as *NovoFine*) had also undergone a significant price reduction. Within the hospital market, the price of the initial dosage of *NovoFine* (0.25 mg × 4 doses) dropped from 1,264.9 yuan-its launch price-to 230.84 yuan; similarly, the 2.4 mg × 4 doses package dropped from 2,463 yuan to 1,284.36 yuan, representing price reductions of 82% and 48%, respectively.
On February 3, 2026, Novo Nordisk released its financial results for 2025. According to financial data, Novo Nordisk reported full-year revenue of DKK 309.064 billion (approximately US$48.9 billion), a year-on-year increase of 6%, and a net profit of DKK 102.434 billion (approximately US$16.2 billion), up 1% year-on-year. Notably, Semaglutide-the company's "flagship product"-contributed US$36.1 billion in sales, representing a year-on-year growth of over 10%.
On February 4, 2026, after briefly topping the global pharmaceutical sales rankings for a few hours, Semaglutide was swiftly surpassed by Eli Lilly's Tirzepatide. Eli Lilly released its full-year 2025 financial results, revealing astonishing performance from its drug Tirzepatide: the diabetes version generated US$22.965 billion in sales-a 99% year-on-year increase-while the weight-loss version surged 175% year-on-year to reach US$13.542 billion. Combined, the two versions generated a total annual revenue of approximately US$36.507 billion, successfully claiming the title of the world's "top-selling drug."
In February 2026, the marketing application for Jikeqin-a biosimilar version of Semaglutide-was officially accepted for review by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
On March 3, 2026, the CEO of the South African pharmaceutical group Aspen Pharmacare announced that the company's generic version of Novo Nordisk's popular diabetes drug Ozempic (Semaglutide) is expected to receive regulatory approval in Canada during the second or third quarter of 2026.
As of April 25, 2026-more than a month after the expiration of the core compound patent for Semaglutide-no domestically produced versions of the drug have yet received regulatory approval within China.