| |DECEMBER 20258ASTRAZENECA EXPANDS ITS HAEMATOLOGY IMPACT WITH NEW ASH 2025 RESULTSNOVO NORDISK BRINGS OZEMPIC TO INDIA TO CHALLENGE MOUNJARO'S LEADDanish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is preparing to launch Ozempic in India this month, marking a major move in a market already battling rising diabetes and obesity.The arrival of the blockbuster drug comes at a time when India has the world's second-largest number of type 2 diabetes patients, making the country a key battleground for companies competing in the fast-growing weight-loss drug space.The launch of Ozempic -- already a global bestseller and widely used off-label for weight loss -- is expected to happen within the next three to four weeks, according to three sources familiar with the plan.Novo confirmed it is working toward an early rollout but did not disclose a final timeline or pricing. "We understand that India is a price sensitive market and hence we are working hard towards pricing (Ozempic) that is market competitive," said Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director, Novo Nordisk India. With this launch, Novo will complete its semaglutide portfolio in India, which includes treatments for both diabetes and obesity. The move also comes as Wegovy faces strong competition from Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, now India's top-selling drug by value. Lilly sold 262,000 doses of Mounjaro in October, far ahead of the 26,000 doses of Novo's Wegovy.Price pressure is building as Novo recently cut Wegovy's cost by up to 37% ahead of its March 2026 patent expiration. Indian pharmaceutical giants such as Sun Pharma, Cipla, Dr. Reddy's, and Lupin are already working on generic semaglutide versions, aiming to tap into the booming market.Analysts say Novo's strong brand presence in India's diabetes segment will help boost Ozempic adoption, with potential use extending to weight loss, infertility, and sleep apnea. POTOP STORIESAstrazeneca's presence at the 2025 ASH Annual Meeting is the largest sharpe in the history of ASH and represents Astrazeneca's continuing efforts to lead the way in haematology.The company's 65 abstracts represent an impressive milestone across eight of Astrazeneca's innovative medicines, showing the continued expansion of treatments already approved and in development for the future.This year's spotlight includes updated Phase I results for surovatamig, a CD19xCD3 T-cell engager, showing three-year follow-up data in relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. AstraZeneca is also unveiling the first look at its investigational BCMAxCD19 CAR T therapy, AZD0120, in multiple myeloma through the DURGA-1 study.Long-term findings from the ECHO Phase III trial will detail how Calquence combined with bendamustine and rituximab performs in first-line mantle cell lymphoma. For rare disease care, Alexion will share new Phase III results on Ultomiris in pediatric HSCT-TMA.Anas Younes, senior vice president, haematology R&D and chief medical officer, AstraZeneca, said: "We are advancing a broad pipeline of investigational therapies with the potential to redefine patient care across multiple types of blood cancer. At ASH, we are sharing meaningful progress with early efficacy and safety data for AZD0120, our first cell therapy, in multiple myeloma, and for surovatamig, a novel T-cell engager, in B-cell malignancies."The update also includes further data regarding the safety and effectiveness of surovatamig in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Further data from investigator-initiated study of AZD0120 in newly diagnosed, high-risk multiple myeloma.Early clinical data on the use of Calquence in combination with venetoclax and rituximab for previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma. New subgroup findings from AMPLIFY, as well as detailed evaluations of Voydeya for PNH. Additionally, Astrazeneca has highlighted additional real-world evidence of Ultomiris' benefit to key patient groups. PO
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