GLP-1 · Weight loss · 2026
Semaglutide & tirzepatide
at NMPA-listed prices.
NMPA-approved GLP-1 medications for chronic weight management and type 2 diabetes — dispensed by Class A teaching-hospital pharmacies. Wegovy from $280/month, tirzepatide from $420/month. Bilingual prescription, physician’s letter for customs.
$280
Wegovy 2.4mg / month
vs ~$1,350 US list (~80% off)
NMPA-listed pricing
$420
Tirzepatide / month
10–15mg titration dose (~60% off US)
NMPA-listed pricing
14–17%
Avg loss on semaglutide
STEP-1 / STEP-5 at 68 weeks
NEJM 2021 / 2022
~21%
Avg loss on tirzepatide
SURMOUNT-1 at 72 weeks
NEJM 2022
NMPA
Wegovy approved 2024
Tirzepatide approved 2024
NMPA registry
Class A
Hospital pharmacy
Not back-channel sources
Standard at partner centres
Tiers & pricing
Six pathways, transparent pricing.
First-visit package
Endocrinology consult, baseline labs, ECG, contraindication screen, first month of medication, bilingual report.
$650–1,250
Refill / month
Hospital-pharmacy GLP-1 supply at NMPA-listed price. Optional remote check-in with prescribing endocrinologist.
$180–450
CGM run-in
Two-week continuous glucose monitor (Libre 3 / Dexcom G7) — useful for prediabetes and insulin-resistant phenotypes.
$180–280
Body composition
DEXA + indirect calorimetry baseline + 6-month re-test. Tracks lean mass through weight loss.
$250–400
Beinaglutide
Chinese-origin GLP-1, NMPA-indicated for obesity since 2023. 3x-daily injection.
$110–180 / month
Trial access
Mazdutide, HRS-7535 and other phase-3 multi-agonists in NMPA registry. Eligibility shortlist.
$450–950
Top centres
Where international patients
typically access GLP-1.
Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital 上海第六人民医院
National reference for diabetes & obesity · Asia metabolic surgery flagship
Ruijin Hospital 瑞金医院
Class A teaching · strong endocrinology cohort · long-term outcomes data
Peking Union Medical College Hospital 北京协和医院
Diagnostic excellence · atypical phenotypes · multi-agonist trial site
China-Japan Friendship Hospital 中日友好医院
Class A · obesity MDT · cardiometabolic comorbidity workup
FAQ
GLP-1 in China — answered.
- Is semaglutide (Wegovy / Ozempic) available in China?
- Yes. Semaglutide was approved by NMPA for type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) in 2021 and for chronic weight management (Wegovy 2.4mg) in mid-2024. Both are imported from Novo Nordisk under licensed channels and dispensed by Class A hospital pharmacies. Indicative pricing: Ozempic 1mg pen ~$140 vs ~$900 US; Wegovy 2.4mg ~$280/month vs ~$1,350 US. Domestic biosimilars are in late-stage development and may launch in 2026–2027 at lower price points.
- Is tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available in China?
- Yes. Tirzepatide was approved by NMPA for type 2 diabetes in mid-2024 and for chronic weight management in late-2024 / early-2025. Indicative pricing: ~$420/month for the 10–15mg titration dose, vs ~$1,080/month US list. Supply has been periodically constrained globally; we confirm in-stock availability at the partner hospital pharmacy before quoting.
- Are there Chinese-origin GLP-1s?
- Yes — beinaglutide (贝那鲁肽, Benemae from Shanghai United Cell) is a domestic GLP-1 approved for T2D and is the only NMPA-approved GLP-1 explicitly indicated for obesity in adults with BMI ≥ 30 (or ≥ 27 with comorbidity) since 2023. It is a 3x-daily injection — pharmacokinetically less convenient than semaglutide — so for most international patients we still recommend semaglutide or tirzepatide. Several Chinese GLP-1 / GIP / glucagon multi-agonists are in phase 3 (mazdutide / IBI362 from Innovent; HRS-7535 from Hengrui) and may reach market 2026–2027.
- Who is eligible? What does the workup look like?
- Standard NMPA labels: chronic weight management for adults with BMI ≥ 30, or ≥ 27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, OSA, or known CV disease). For T2D: indicated regardless of BMI. Workup at the partner hospital: 30–45 minute endocrinology consult, baseline labs (HbA1c, fasting glucose, lipid panel, kidney/liver function, TSH, lipase, calcitonin if family history of MTC), ECG, contraindication screening (personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, MEN-2, severe gastroparesis, history of pancreatitis, current pregnancy/lactation). All-in workup: $300–550.
- What does it cost all-in?
- Indicative all-in pricing for an international patient on a 3-day visit: endocrinology consult + labs + ECG + first 1-month medication supply + bilingual report — semaglutide pathway $650–950; tirzepatide pathway $850–1,250. Refills: month-to-month at hospital-pharmacy pricing (sema ~$280, tirz ~$420). Add-ons: continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for two-week run-in $180–280; nutrition consult $80–150; metabolic phenotyping with DEXA + indirect calorimetry $250–400.
- Can I take medication home? For how long?
- Most countries permit personal-use import of a 90-day supply of non-controlled prescription medication in original labelled packaging accompanied by a physician’s letter. GLP-1s are non-controlled. We provide the bilingual prescription, English drug-info sheet, and an attending-physician letter for customs. Cold-chain considerations: pen devices are stable at 2–8°C unrefrigerated for up to 28 days (varies by product); for longer transport we provide an insulated cooling case. Continued therapy after the initial supply requires home-physician handover for prescription continuity.
- What outcomes can I expect?
- Average weight loss in NMPA-registry trials and Western phase-3 data: semaglutide 2.4mg ~14–17% body weight at 68 weeks (STEP-1, STEP-5 long-term); tirzepatide 15mg ~21% at 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1). Individual response varies. Most loss occurs in months 3–12. Lifestyle (nutrition + resistance training) determines whether weight loss includes lean mass — we bundle a structured nutrition + exercise prescription and re-evaluate body composition at 6 and 12 months.
- What are the risks and contraindications?
- Most common: nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea — usually titration-dependent and improving over weeks. Less common but important: pancreatitis (stop drug, evaluate); gallbladder disease (rapid weight loss is a known cholelithiasis risk — we counsel on symptoms); severe gastroparesis worsening; rare reports of NAION (eye); hypoglycaemia if combined with sulfonylureas or insulin without dose reduction. Black-box contraindication: personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN-2 — we screen on history and check baseline calcitonin if any family history. Pregnancy: stop ≥ 2 months before planned conception.
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Read the guideClinical Trials
Multi-agonist GLP-1 phase-3 trial access in China.
Read the guideReady for a written GLP-1 quote
in 48 hours?
Send your BMI, current medication, and any prior GLP-1 experience. We return a written workup-and-supply quote — including which hospital, which pen size, and what the month-2 to month-12 maintenance cost looks like.
For information only. Not medical advice. GLP-1 prescription decisions must be made with a licensed clinician based on your individual circumstances and contraindications. We do not guarantee any specific weight-loss outcome.