Eli Lilly Wins China Approval for First GLP-1 Weight-Loss Pill, Giving It First-Mover Edge In Potential $4.5 Billion Market: Report

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) has reportedly won Chinese approval for orforglipron, becoming the first company to offer a GLP-1 weight-management pill in the country.

China previously authorized GLP-1 medicines for obesity treatment only in injectable forms. Orforglipron therefore introduces a pill-based option for patients seeking chronic weight management, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The report indicated that the approval could strengthen Lilly’s position in China, the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market, by giving the company an earlier oral product than competing treatments.

JP Morgan forecasts that China’s annual GLP-1 weight-loss drug market could grow to 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) over the next five to seven years, up from an estimated 3 billion–4 billion yuan ($449.75 million to $599.66 million) currently, according to the report.

Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.

China’s Obesity Drug Market Heats Up

The approval arrives as China’s obesity-drug market is gaining momentum. Lilly’s medicine is set to compete with its own once-weekly weight-loss injection, as well as offerings from Novo Nordisk A/S (NASDAQ:NOVO), Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and China-based Innovent Biologics Inc.

In March, China approved Pfizer’s ecnoglutide injection for chronic weight management in adults with overweight or obesity, marking the first approval of a cAMP-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist. Developed by Hangzhou Sciwind Biosciences, the drug aims to deliver sustained weight loss and metabolic benefits.

Earlier this year, Novo Nordisk and China’s United Laboratories International Holdings reported topline results from a Phase 2 Chinese trial of UBT251, an experimental triple-agonist drug targeting GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors for weight management and metabolic conditions. The companies signed an exclusive licensing agreement in March 2025 worth more than $2 billion in upfront and milestone payments. United Biotechnology will handle development in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, while Novo Nordisk will oversee development in other global markets.

Price Action: Year-to-date, Lilly Stock surged 33.74%, as per Benzinga Pro. The stock climbed 1.70% to 1,462.18 during the premarket session on Thursday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Image via Shutterstock