- Eli Lilly's weight loss drug is marketed in India as Yurpeak by Cipla under a new agreement
- Yurpeak is available as a once-weekly pre-filled injector pen in six dosage strengths
- Mounjaro sales surged 42% in September, becoming India's second-highest selling drug
Eli Lilly's blockbuster weight loss drug has found a market in India under the brand name Yurpeak after the company signed a deal with Indian drug maker Cipla on Thursday.
As per news agency Reuters, the companies have agreed to market the drug under as a separate brand in the country. The agreement allows Cipla to sell 'Yurpeak' after it has been manufactured by Lilly.
Similar to Lilly's Mounjaro Kwikpen, the drug will be available as a once a week, pre-filled injector pen, giving healthcare specialists space to devise personal plans according to the needs of individual patients.
The injector pen will be available in the following six doses — 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg and will be sold at the same price as the Mounjaro Kwikpen.
After the inception of its sales in India in late March for diabetes and obesity in 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials, the drug got approval to be sold as a pre-filled injector 'KwikPen' format only in late June. By September, it had become India's second-highest selling drug.
Mounjaro is currently sold in two injectable dosages — 2.5 mg and 5 mg, priced between Rs 14,000 and Rs 17,500 per month. Existing users typically transition to higher doses after four weeks, while a steady stream of new patients continues to adopt the treatment.
Mounjaro's sales in September reflected a sharp 42% increase from the Rs 56 crore recorded in August, driven by growing demand and a gradual patient shift to higher dosages, experts said.
India, home to the third-largest overweight and obese population globally, is fast emerging as a significant market for weight-loss therapies. As per the ICMR-INDIAB (India Diabetes) study, the country has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million with abdominal obesity.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
