| |NOVEMBER 20259PFIZER BEATS NOVO NORDISK IN $10 BILLION METSERA DEALMOUNJARO BECOMES INDIA'S TOP-SELLING DRUG AT INR100 CROREPfizer has clinched a major victory in the race for next-generation obesity treatments, signing a deal to acquire development-stage drugmaker Metsera Inc. after outbidding rival Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy.The New York-based pharmaceutical giant will buy Metsera for up to $86.25 per share, including $65.60 in cash and a contingent value right of up to $20.65 per share.The acquisition strengthens Pfizer's push into the fast-growing obesity and diabetes market, coming months after it scrapped its own experimental obesity pill.Metsera, also based in New York, has no approved products yet but is developing promising oral and injectable obesity treatments that could compete in one of the industry's most lucrative fields. The company's board said it chose Pfizer's offer citing "US antitrust risks" in Novo Nordisk's bid, adding that Pfizer's revised terms provided "the best transaction for shareholders" with greater certainty of closing.The agreement follows Novo's latest attempt to raise its bid to as much as $10 billion, up from its earlier $9 billion offer, which had triggered a lawsuit from Pfizer. Novo's proposal included $62.20 in cash per share and a potential $24 contingent payment, but the Danish drugmaker confirmed Saturday it would not increase its offer further.Pfizer said it was pleased with the outcome and expects to finalize the deal shortly after the Metsera shareholder meeting on November 13, cementing its position in the competitive obesity drug market. POEli Lilly's anti-obesity drug Mounjaro has become India's highest-selling pharmaceutical by value in October, with sales touching ?100 crore ($11.38 million).The surge reflects the growing demand for anti-obesity medications in a country battling rising cases of diabetes and weight-related disorders.Launched in March, Mounjaro quickly gained a lead over Novo Nordisk's rival drug Wegovy, which entered the Indian market in June. By the end of October, Mounjaro's total revenue reached ?333 crore, according to research firm Pharmarack.The firm noted that the drug's consumption volume in October was ten times higher than Wegovy's, underscoring its strong market acceptance.Mounjaro, based on tirzepatide, belongs to a new class of drugs that target metabolic hormones to control blood sugar and aid weight loss. Originally approved for type-II diabetes, it is now being widely used for obesity management. To extend its reach, Eli Lilly and Cipla have partnered to distribute and promote tairzepatide under a new brand, Yurpeak, which will be priced the same as Mounjaro. The collaboration aims to take the product beyond major cities into semi-urban markets.Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk has secured approval from India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to market its diabetes drug Ozempic, a semaglutide-based injectable. "With Ozempic's launch, the company would complete its semaglutide portfolio in the country, providing a range of treatments," said Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India.Priced between ?14,000 and ?17,500 per month, Mounjaro continues to dominate an anti-obesity market estimated at ?752 crore, driven by India's 100 million people living with both diabetes and obesity. POImage Credit: pfizer.com
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