Novo Nordisk has received a significant legal victory in China’s Supreme People’s Court, which affirmed the validity of the company’s semaglutide compound patent, strengthening intellectual property protections for one of its most important medicines.
The ruling upholds an earlier decision by the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, confirming that semaglutide, the active compound behind widely used treatments such as Wegovy (for obesity) and Ozempic and Rybelsus (for type 2 diabetes) remains protected under Chinese patent law. Novo Nordisk said it welcomes the judgment, viewing it as a positive signal for innovation and for the confidence of foreign companies operating in China’s pharmaceutical sector.
“This outcome is very positive for semaglutide and demonstrates firm government support for protecting medical innovation,” said Mike Doustdar, President and CEO of Novo Nordisk. He added that the decision should encourage further development and introduction of innovative medicines to benefit patients.
Semaglutide is a long‑acting glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) analogue developed by Novo Nordisk that has seen widespread clinical use, accumulating roughly 38 million patient‑years globally since its launch. The molecule is central to the company’s obesity and diabetes treatment portfolio.
Although Novo Nordisk has previously indicated that semaglutide’s compound patent will expire in certain international markets potentially affecting global sales growth in 2026, the company stressed that this judicial ruling does not change its earlier guidance.
The company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark, employs about 78,500 people and markets its products in around 170 countries worldwide.
