Novo Nordisk accelerates plans for weight loss drug in India

The Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is at a strategic turning point in India. Behind the scenes, the company's Indian team is pushing for an earlier launch of the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy. The reason is concerns about falling behind competitor Eli Lilly in tapping into the potentially massive market. Originally planned for 2026, Wegovy is now set to be available next year in alignment with Lilly's launch of Mounjaro. Novo Nordisk’s management levels were informed in an internal meeting at the headquarters in Denmark about the urgency to act before Lilly enters the market. The Indian team sees the risk of losing ground if Wegovy does not hit the market earlier. However, the company leadership’s response to this initiative remains unclear. The demand for GLP-1 receptor agonists, which include Wegovy and Mounjaro, is rising globally. These medications not only aid in blood sugar control but also promote a feeling of satiety. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are attempting to increase production capacities to meet the growing demand. Analysts predict that the market for weight-loss drugs could reach 150 billion dollars over the next ten years. By the end of 2022, Novo Nordisk had already received approval for Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, in India. While Lilly is also facing supply challenges and plans to launch Mounjaro in 2025, the competitive battle for the Indian market could prove crucial. Meanwhile, the Indian manufacturing market is already planning affordable alternatives. Companies like Cipla and Dr. Reddy's are working on budget-friendly copies of Wegovy, while Sun Pharmaceutical is researching its own experimental weight-loss drug. Novo Nordisk recently launched Wegovy in China at a significantly lower price than in the USA to remain well-positioned in global competition.