India Pharma Outlook Team | Monday, 09 March 2026
Novo Nordisk is rapidly gaining traction in India’s obesity drug market as its blockbuster molecule semaglutide narrows the lead held by rival Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide in the fast-growing GLP-1 segment.
The surge comes just days before the patent for semaglutide is set to expire on March 21, a move expected to reshape competition in the market.
The Danish drugmaker sells semaglutide under brands such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and also through Poviztra via a marketing partnership with Emcure. Eli Lilly markets tirzepatide as Mounjaro and Yurpeak in collaboration with Cipla. While Mounjaro has dominated the injectable GLP-1 category since entering India in March 2025, Novo Nordisk is now steadily closing the gap.
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Recent data from PharmaTrac shows the market share of semaglutide by volume jumped to about 21 percent from 13 percent in just two months. The rise followed Novo Nordisk’s sharp price cut for Wegovy in November and the launch of Ozempic in December at a lower price than Lilly’s competing drug. Despite the surge, tirzepatide still held about 79 percent of the market in units sold as of the end of February.
Industry experts say broader physician adoption, improved availability, and competitive pricing are driving stronger demand for semaglutide injections. “In the last two months, the incremental consumption has come more from semaglutide injections than tirzepatide injections,” said Sheetal Sapale, vice-president, commercial at Pharmarack. “This indicates more patients are getting onboarded on semaglutide, even though in terms of volume it may be much smaller than tirzepatide.”
Novo Nordisk is also expanding distribution through partnerships with Emcure and Abbott to reach more cities beyond major metros. India’s anti-obesity drug market has surged nearly threefold in the past year, crossing INR 1,500 crore, intensifying the battle between the two global pharmaceutical giants.
