Aspen Pharmacare has announced that it has received regulatory approval to market Mounjaro, Eli Lilly’s blockbuster drug for chronic weight management, in South Africa.
The approval comes from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and allows Aspen to expand the availability of tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Mounjaro — beyond diabetes treatment to include weight-loss management.
Aspen first launched Mounjaro in South Africa in December 2024 as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The new authorization enables the company, acting as Lilly’s local sales agent, to introduce the product as an easy-to-use KwikPen injector device designed for long-term weight control.
The move marks a major milestone for Aspen as it positions itself in the fast-growing obesity drug market, where global demand has skyrocketed. Analysts estimate the worldwide market for obesity treatments could exceed $100 billion by 2030, driven by consumer interest in effective, clinically proven solutions.
Mounjaro’s approval also sets up a direct competition with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which debuted in South Africa in August. Wegovy uses semaglutide, another GLP-1 receptor agonist similar in function to tirzepatide, and has seen overwhelming demand globally.
Aspen’s entry into the weight management segment is expected to intensify competition and expand patient access to advanced obesity treatments in South Africa. With both Wegovy and Mounjaro now available, local healthcare professionals and patients will have more options to address chronic weight-related health issues.
As obesity rates continue to rise globally and across South Africa, experts view this development as a turning point for the country’s pharmaceutical landscape — one that could transform the management of metabolic disorders in the years to come.
