New Delhi: A day after semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and anti-obesity drugs—Ozempic and Wegovy—lost patent protection in India, at least six domestic pharmaceutical companies launched generic versions on Saturday, with prices ranging from Rs 1,300 to Rs 4,200 a month, significantly undercutting the Danish drugmaker’s brands, which are priced at Rs 8,800 and Rs 10,850 per month respectively for starting doses.
The companies that launched generic semaglutide on Day 1 include Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Sun Pharma, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Alkem Laboratories, Zydus Lifesciences, and Natco Pharma. Eris Lifesciences, which has a marketing partnership with Natco, also announced pricing for its brand ‘Sundae’ at the same rate as Natco for the starting dose.
The rush of launches underscores the scale of the opportunity. The market for GLP-1s—glucagon-like peptide-1, a class of drugs that mimic a gut hormone to regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite—was estimated at Rs 1,000 to 1,200 crore in 2025, its first full year after pioneer brands such as Wegovy and Mounjaro arrived in India. Research and analytics agency CareEdge estimates it will expand fivefold over the next five years.
India presents one of the largest potential markets for GLP-1 drugs. Roughly one in three Indian adults has a high BMI—a body mass index over 25, the threshold at which health risks begin to rise. By 2030, India is expected to be home to over 27 million children and adolescents (5 to 19 years) living with obesity.
Obesity is also a gateway condition, raising the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, and fertility problems. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s India Diabetes study, published in 2023, an estimated 10.1 crore people in India are living with diabetes.
Who launched what, and at what price
Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s was the first Indian pharma company to receive approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for generic semaglutide, and launched its brand Obeda on Saturday in a pre-filled pen device, priced at Rs 4,200 per month for 2 mg and 4 mg doses. The drug is currently approved for type 2 diabetes management. The company is separately seeking regulatory approval to market it for weight management.
“In a head-to-head Phase 3 clinical trial involving 312 participants, Obeda demonstrated non-inferior efficacy and a comparable safety profile to the innovator drug,” the company said, adding that there were similar reductions in blood sugar and no detection of anti-drug antibodies—proteins the body can produce against a drug that reduce its effectiveness over time.
“Today’s launch marks a significant step in our commitment to expand our portfolio in critical therapeutic areas…” said Erez Israeli, chief executive officer of Dr Reddy’s in a company statement.
“As part of phase-1 launch, we aim to introduce generic semaglutide in several countries and, through our ‘One Product, One Quality’ approach, we are committed to ensure the same high‑quality product across all markets,” he added.
Mumbai-based Sun Pharma launched two brands—Noveltreat for weight management and Sematrinity for type 2 diabetes. Noveltreat is available in five dose strengths, with weekly costs ranging from Rs 900 to Rs 2,000, translating to Rs 3,600 to Rs 8,000 per month. Sematrinity comes in two dose strengths priced between Rs 750 and Rs 1,300 per week. Both are available as pre-filled pen devices manufactured in Europe.
“With the launch of Noveltreat and Sematrinity, our endeavour is to provide a high-quality, affordable therapy to a wider patient community in India,” said Kirti Ganorkar, managing director, Sun Pharma, in a press statement.
Mumbai-based Glenmark launched Glipiq, setting what it called a new benchmark in affordability. Its vial-based version—a traditional multi-dose glass bottle requiring a syringe, as opposed to a pre-filled pen—is priced between Rs 325 and Rs 440 per week, or Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,760 per month, making it the cheapest option currently available. A pen-device version is also being launched, though price has not been disclosed.
“Affordability is one of the biggest barriers to initiating advanced diabetes therapy in India. With Glipiq, we are setting a new benchmark in affordability for GLP-1 therapy, with weekly treatment starting at Rs 325,” said Alok Malik, president and business head, India Formulations, Glenmark.
Another Mumbai-based drugmaker, Alkem Laboratories launched semaglutide under three brand names—Semasize, Obesema, and Hepaglide—with a disposable pre-filled pen priced at Rs 1,800 per month, or Rs 450 per week. It is also offering a reusable injection pen for higher maintenance doses, where patients replace only the medication cartridge rather than the entire device, reducing cost over time.
“We believe therapeutic advancements must translate into real-world access,” said Vikas Gupta, chief executive officer, Alkem, in a statement.
Ahmedabad-based Zydus Lifesciences launched three brands—Semaglyn, Mashema, and Altreme—at an average treatment cost of approximately Rs 2,200 per month. The company has regulatory approval for both type 2 diabetes and weight management and has signed semi-exclusive licensing partnerships with Lupin and Torrent Pharma.
Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma, which fired the first shot on Friday before the patent formally expired, launched its brands Semanat and Semafull starting at Rs 1,290 per month in vial form, with a pen device expected in April priced at Rs 4,000-4,500.
A market still finding its feet
Despite the flurry of launches, India’s GLP-1 market remains at an early stage. In an interview with ThePrint Friday, Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director of Novo Nordisk India, said, “Of the estimated 250 million Indians living with obesity, only about 2 lakh are currently on GLP-1 medication.” Over 101 million adults have diabetes in India, with an additional 136 million estimated to be pre-diabetic.
Shrotriya pointed out that price, while important, is not the only barrier. Equally significant challenges include awareness of obesity as a chronic disease, access to specialist care, and the need for long-term sustained treatment. Several studies show that patients regain much of the lost weight within a year of stopping the drug.
According to Systematix Institutional Equities, a Mumbai-based stock market research firm, the patent expiry of semaglutide could create an incremental revenue opportunity of over Rs 5,000 crore for generic manufacturers over the next 12-15 months across India, Brazil, and Canada. In India alone, the firm estimates an additional Rs 1,000-2,000 crore in revenue for the branded formulations market in FY27.
The opportunity is likely to be shared among 10-15 Indian and global generic players, including Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, Eris Lifesciences, Cipla, Lupin, Alkem, Zydus Lifesciences, and Biocon.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)