‘Obesity therapy mkt set to evolve rapidly’

Danish firm Novo Nordisk expects India’s obesity therapy market to evolve rapidly, saying its recent Wegovy (injectable semaglutide) price cut could lift patient uptake five-to-seven-fold, echoing its insulin experience. This comes even as lower-priced generics loom, with a rival drugmaker, Eli Lilly & Co, also eyeing a share of one of the fastest-growing therapy segments.“Our recent price cut wasn’t about generics — it was about improving access. When we cut insulin prices in 2020 by 30%, patient uptake increased five to seven times over five years. We expect a similar impact here,” Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director at Novo Nordisk India, told TOI in an exclusive interaction. He added that uptake in semaglutide could accelerate faster, given the scale of unmet need in obesity treatment.

Analysts expect with the patent expiry of semaglutide in March in India, emerging markets and regulated markets (Brazil, Canada) could create an incremental Rs 5000-crore opportunity for generic versions (global and domestic) over the next 12-15 months. “For FY27E, we see this as a Rs 1000-2000 crore incremental revenue opportunity in India’s branded formulation space,” a Systematix analyst said. The company slashed the price of Wegovy in Nov last year by up to 37% from its launch price, aiming to gain ground in one of the world’s fastest-growing obesity treatment markets ahead of the expected entry of generics. Novo, a pioneer and a dominant market player in insulin analogues globally, introduced its obesity and diabetes therapies — Wegovy, followed by Ozempic, last year in India. Responding to a query on the impact on pricing with the generics’ entry, he said, “The market will be competitive and evolve rapidly — like AI adoption. Multiple players will enter, benefiting patients through better access and services. We aim to be the preferred partner for doctors and patients, focusing on quality, reliability, and education.” Further, in Dec 2025, US Food and Drug Administration approved oral semaglutide, expanding Novo Nordisk’s obesity treatment portfolio beyond the shot. The company plans to launch the Wegovy pill in the US this month, and will evaluate its launch (here) based on global uptake and production capacity. Shrotriya, a Novo Nordisk veteran of 25 years and India MD since 2020, said, “India has always been a priority. We were among the first to set up shared services here 20 years ago. Today, we have the largest diabetes care franchise in India, and five of our brands are among the top 100 in the country.”