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Launch of Mounjaro injector pen in South Africa is

imminent,

says CEO

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Aspen awaits approval for chronic weight management use

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Aspen targeting markets with expiring semaglutide patents

By Nqobile Dludla

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Aspen Pharmacare

, a sales agent for Eli Lilly ( LLY ), obtained regulatory

approval to start launching the easy-to-use injector pen of the

blockbuster diabetes drug Mounjaro in South Africa, stepping up

competition with Novo Nordisk.

Drugmakers across the globe are looking to grab a slice of

the weight-loss drugs market, which is estimated to reach at

least $100 billion by the end of the decade.

Aspen launched Mounjaro in vials for Type 2 diabetes in

South Africa in late December. The medication is used by some

for weight-loss management.

"It's a hit, absolutely shooting the lights out. That whole

market (GLP-1) has grown by well over, I think, 130% ... and

Mounjaro has grown that market," Stephen Saad told Reuters in an

interview on Wednesday.

"I think within two years, this product wouldn't surprise me

if it gets to a billion rand (in sales)."

Saad said with the pens approved, the launch is imminent,

which should alleviate shortages reported by users of the

treatment.

Aspen is also awaiting approval for the drug to also be used for

chronic weight management, which could be imminent, Saad said.

Last month, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk introduced

its weight-loss drug Wegovy in South Africa, with plans to

expand Wegovy into other African markets.

Saad said Aspen is busy registering Mounjaro in countries it

has licenses for across sub-Saharan Africa as well and will

launch with pens.

Outside of Africa, Aspen is targeting markets where semaglutide

patents are expiring from next year. Its strategy is both

developing its own intellectual property (IP) and licensing or

partnering on IP with licensors.

"We're busy registering the dossier in Canada, because

that's also an early market and our dossier has passed a process

called screening," Saad said