Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has launched South Africa’s first low-cost version of its weight-loss drug, in a bid to squeeze out counterfeit products in Africa’s most obese nation.
Demand for the drug, first developed for diabetes before becoming a global weight-loss phenomenon, has exploded. Some branded versions such as Ozempic can cost hundreds of dollars a month — prohibitively expensive for many — and that affordability gap opened the floodgates for unregulated weight-loss medications.
The new product will be “cheaper” than its main brand, said Sara Narcross, Nordisk’s South Africa head. The launch last week follows a court victory for Nordisk against local compounding pharmacies making unauthorized copies. South Africa has the highest adult obesity rate in Africa, with roughly 30% of adults classified as living with obesity. The burden hits women hardest, with nearly seven in 10 adult women considered overweight or obese.