HONG KONG/BENGALURU -- Wang, a Chinese businessman living in Tokyo, has struggled with his weight for three decades.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly took in a combined $36.2 billion from the global sale of GLP-1 drugs in the first nine months of 2024, underscoring the market allure for Chinese and Indian pharmaceutical companies. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
Unmet demand for obesity treatments creates opportunities for Asian manufacturers