Novo Nordisk Launches Weight-Loss Drug Wegovy In India Starting From Rs 17,300

Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk on Tuesday announced the launch of its weight-loss drug Wegovy, an injectable semaglutide, in India.

Wegovy, a once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), is the first and only weight management medication in India indicated for both long-term chronic weight management and reduction in risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people living with the condition.

It is available in five dosing strengths with the convenience of an innovative, easy-to-use pen device. Wegovy will be available in a once-weekly innovative pen device in five dose strengths – 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and a maintenance dosing of 2.4 mg.

The price for the drug starts at Rs 17,345 per pen for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg, while 1.7 mg is priced at Rs 24,280 per pen and 2.4 mg is priced at Rs 26,015 per pen.

Wegovy is a prescription-only medication that has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of Indians living with obesity or overweight, the company said.

As per the INDIAB study, India has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 people with abdominal obesity. India has the third highest number of people living with overweight and obesity.

Alarmingly, obesity is associated with over 200 diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Misconceptions about obesity include that it is the result of poor lifestyle choices and a lack of self-discipline. However, obesity is caused by many different factors, including genetics, biology, psychology, society and the environment we live in.

Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that acts on key areas of the brain involved in appetite regulation and food intake, thereby reducing hunger, improving satiety and reducing cravings for food, eventually inducing weight loss. It also improves insulin resistance and has a beneficial effect on the reduction of cardiometabolic events and risk factors.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy. While Ozempic in many countries across the world is indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes, Wegovy is indicated for weight management and reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight.

"Obesity is not just a personal health concern – it is a chronic disease and a national epidemic that India cannot afford to ignore. Recognising this, we are proud to announce that we are bringing Wegovy to Indians as a transformative and evidence-based therapeutic solution with the convenience of a world-class, state-of-the-art pen device," said Vikrant Shrotriya – Managing Director, Novo Nordisk India.

"Additionally, we have an India-specific price with the benefit of the same price for the first three dosing strengths. With this we are reaffirming our commitment to address India's growing burden of overweight and obesity," he said.