South Africa’s market for popular diabetes and weight-management medicines has grown to almost $187 million (R3 billion), with Mounjaro leading sales as Aspen Pharmacare prepares a generic alternative to medicines such as Ozempic.
Aspen chief executive Stephen Saad disclosed the latest market estimate in an interview with Reuters following the pharmaceutical company’s annual results.
The market was valued at approximately R2.2 billion earlier in 2026, indicating rapid growth in demand for GLP-1 medicines, which can regulate blood sugar, reduce appetite and support substantial weight loss.
Aspen distributes Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro in South Africa. The company said demand for the medicine contributed to a 5% increase in commercial-pharmaceutical revenue to R25.4 billion during its latest financial year.
However, not every Mounjaro sale should be classified as a weight-loss prescription.
