Aspen Pharmacare has announced plans to pursue regulatory authorisations for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro across sub‑Saharan Africa, with the company’s chief executive saying registrations could begin as early as this year. The South Africa-based drugmaker framed the effort as a response to rapidly growing regional demand for GLP-1 class obesity treatments, which remain limited in availability across the continent.
The CEO noted that a recent registration in South Africa of the KwikPen - a pre-filled multi-injection delivery device - created an opening to apply for approvals more broadly across sub‑Saharan markets. "The registration in South Africa of the KwikPen (a pre-filled multi-injection device) gave us an opportunity now to register the product across sub-Saharan Africa, and we expect registrations from as early as this calendar year," Stephen Saad told investors after Aspen reported its earnings.
Saad said that Mounjaro, which was introduced to the South African market late in 2024, has fuelled a sharp rise in demand for GLP-1 weight-loss medicines. Aspen estimates the local GLP-1 market has expanded to about 2.2 billion rand - equivalent to $133.64 million - and continues to grow.
According to the company, the market value has tripled over an 18-month span. Aspen reported that Mounjaro’s share of that market more than doubled to 52% at the end of January from 21% in the quarter ended April 2025, a lift that Aspen attributed in large part to regulatory backing for chronic weight management indications. Saad also said he expects Mounjaro sales to exceed 1.3 billion rand - about $78.97 million - in the 12 months through June, adding: "It will be the quickest brand to reach a billion rand sales in the South African private market."
Aspen’s push to register Mounjaro across sub‑Saharan Africa positions the company as a potential regional manufacturing and distribution partner for multinational drugmakers seeking access to an under-penetrated market for GLP-1 therapies. GLP-1 treatments are not yet widely available on the continent, creating both commercial opportunity and a practical test of how rapidly such medicines can be introduced to lower-income countries.
The company’s efforts come in a competitive context: in South Africa, Eli Lilly faces competition from Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic. Novo Nordisk has indicated plans to expand into Africa following its South Africa launch of Wegovy. Aspen’s remarks highlighted the intersection of regulatory progress, device registration, and market uptake as drivers of its regional strategy.
For currency context, Aspen used an exchange rate of $1 = 16.4625 rand when presenting dollar equivalents for market and sales figures.
Summary of developments
- Aspen plans to seek sub‑Saharan approvals for Mounjaro starting as early as this year after KwikPen registration in South Africa.
- Mounjaro has driven rapid growth in the local GLP-1 market, which Aspen values at roughly 2.2 billion rand and says has tripled in 18 months.
- Aspen expects Mounjaro sales to top 1.3 billion rand in the year through June and forecasts the brand becoming the quickest to reach 1 billion rand in the South African private market.