Hyderabad: Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is preparing for an early launch of its high-demand weight-loss drug Wegovy in India. This represents a significant shift from its original 2026 launch plan and marks a strategic response to rising competition from Eli Lilly, which introduced its Mounjaro injection in the Indian market just last month.
The decision to speed up Wegovy’s debut follows surging global demand for anti-obesity treatments, with both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly seeing their weight-loss drugs catapult them into the ranks of the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical firms.
The drugs, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, belong to a class known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help manage blood sugar and prolong satiety, aiding in weight loss.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Novo’s diabetes medication Ozempic, is set to go off-patent in India in 2026.
This opens the door for domestic pharmaceutical companies to produce generic versions, potentially slashing prices in what analysts project to be a $150 billion global obesity drug market over the next decade.
Indian drugmakers such as Sun Pharma, Cipla, and Dr. Reddy’s are reportedly gearing up to capitalize on the opportunity, building inventories and investing in GLP-1 research and development.
Eli Lilly’s once-weekly Mounjaro currently costs around $50 for a 5mg vial and $40 for a 2.5mg vial, among the lowest doses. If Novo is to make inroads in India’s price-sensitive market, it must offer Wegovy at competitive price points.
