Wegovy, the blockbuster weight-loss drug launched in June, is set to get cheaper in India. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has cut the price by up to 33%, news agency Reuters reported, citing a document sent by Novo to drug distributors.
Wegovy's highest dose of 2.4 milligrams will now cost Rs 16,400, compared with its earlier price of Rs 24,389. Its lowest dose of 0.25 mg will sell at Rs 10,850, compared with Rs 16,260.94 earlier, the report said.
Wegovy is playing catch-up to Lilly's Mounjaro, whose sales have doubled within months of its launch in India in March. Mounjaro recorded Rs 80 crore in revenue in September, making it the second-most sold drug by value in India, according to data from market research firm Pharmarack.
Both drugs are part of a class of treatments called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which promote a longer-lasting feeling of fullness and are prescribed for obesity and diabetes.
Wegovy's active ingredient semaglutide goes off patent in India in March 2026, paving the way for generic drugmakers to enter one of the world's fast-growing markets for obesity treatments.
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, according to Novo Nordisk.
The company has partnered with Indian drugmaker Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to expand the availability of its injectable obesity drug, semaglutide, across India. Emcure Pharma will be the exclusive distributor responsible for the commercialisation and marketing of Poviztra, semaglutide injection 2.4 mg, in the country.
As per the INDIAB study, India has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million 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.
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