Eli Lilly’s (NYSE:LLY) blockbuster diabetes treatment Mounjaro is set to become part of China’s state medical insurance system beginning January 1, the National Healthcare Security Administration announced on Sunday. The decision means the once-weekly injectable will be reimbursable for adults with type 2 diabetes.
Its inclusion is expected to broaden access across China’s population of 1.4 billion, though analysts caution that the move may increase competitive pressure in the diabetes drug market. Placement on the reimbursement list typically boosts prescription volumes but often requires drugmakers to accept lower prices.
Mounjaro entered the Chinese market in January 2025, following the rollout of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic in 2021. Ozempic has been covered under China’s national reimbursement scheme since 2022.