InBody seals China deal to put body-fat scanners in pharma-backed obesity clinic

Korean body composition analysis device maker InBody said Wednesday its Chinese subsidiary has been selected by an unnamed global pharmaceutical company to supply body composition analyzers for a national network of in-pharmacy weight management clinics.

InBody began shipping its InBody260S model to large pharmacy franchise chains in China in the first quarter of this year and said deliveries are continuing. Under a separate contract with the same pharma partner, it will supply its higher-specification InBody770CH-N and InBody270 units to hospital-based weight management clinics.

InBody devices installed at a pharmacy in China. (Courtesy of InBody)

The company said the partner’s identity could not be disclosed due to a confidentiality agreement.

The deal comes as drugmakers seek ways to monitor patients on GLP-1 obesity drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, beyond weight alone.

InBody said its devices can measure body fat and lean mass separately, helping clinicians assess whether weight loss is coming mainly from fat rather than muscle.

In China, pharmacy chains are emerging as treatment access points for obesity drugs, making them a potential channel for weight-management monitoring services, according to Wednesday's release.