India Pharma Outlook Team | Saturday, 27 September 2025
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is planning to introduce Ozempic (semaglutide) in India, a once-weekly injectable that was initially approved for type-2 diabetes but is getting recognition as a treatment for obesity and weight management. The launch is following the arrival of Wegovy in June, which is exclusively approved for obesity treatment.
The US FDA first gave its approval in 2017 for Ozempic, which made more than 17 billion dollars in sales worldwide last year. In India, it will be going head to head with Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which had sales of Rs 154 crore in the first five months while Wegovy had sales of Rs 19 crore in three months. The introduction of Ozempic is going to stir up competition in India’s GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) market.
A Novo Nordisk representative conveyed the importance of India as a major market by saying, "By broadening our semaglutide offerings, we show our determination to providing novel solutions for the expanding burden of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity." Moreover, the company already has the aids of Rybelsus and Wegovy in the market for the GLP-1 therapy in India.
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Though we don’t have details on the price of Ozempic, the release will be before the planned patent expiration, which is in March next year and that will likely give rise to generic versions from local manufacturers like Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, Biocon, Cipla, and Zydus Lifesciences.
Experts observe that Ozempic is an answer to various problems when it comes to it being a losing weight-related drug as well as the one responsible for reducing cardiovascular and kidney risks which are common complications of diabetes thus making it a safer overall treatment option.
