India Braces for Obesity Pill Revolution as Patents Near Expiry

According to the latest study by the Indian Council of Medical Research–India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB), the prevalence of diabetes and other metabolic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India is significantly higher than previously estimated, with over 100 million people currently living with diabetes. Blockbuster obesity drugs like Ozempic (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Ozempic for weight loss: Does it work, and what do experts recommend?

Go to source) and Wegovy have gained global attention. Now, Indian pharmaceutical companies are eager to enter this billion-dollar obesity treatment market.

India Plans Incentives for Local Manufacturing of GLP-1 Drugs

A recent Reuters report revealed that India plans to incentivize local manufacturing of GLP-1 drugs, used originally for diabetes but increasingly for obesity treatment. This move follows the anticipated expiry of Danish pharma major Novo Nordisk’s patent on semaglutide, a key ingredient in its popular obesity drug, in 2026. Several Indian drugmakers have already applied for the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

Novo Nordisk, known for its semaglutide-based drug Rybelsus, which was launched in India in 2022, has seen significant uptake. The drug is praised for its effectiveness in treating both Type 2 diabetes and aiding weight reduction. Sales of Rybelsus in India have more than doubled, reaching Rs 363 crore in April from Rs 147 crore a year earlier, according to Pharmarack data.

Novo Nordisk dominates this segment with semaglutide holding about 66% of the value market share, followed by other key molecules like liraglutide and dulaglutide.

Indian pharmaceutical firms such as Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, Lupin, Zydus, and Sun Pharma are actively developing their own anti-obesity medications to capitalize on the growing market demand. These efforts are bolstered by a Lancet journal study, which reported 70 million obese adults in India in 2022, with a notable increase in both adult and childhood obesity rates.

Overall, the landscape for anti-obesity drugs in India is evolving rapidly, driven by increasing awareness, regulatory incentives, and a burgeoning market ripe for innovative solutions to combat obesity-related health challenges.

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Reference:

1. Ozempic for weight loss: Does it work, and what do experts recommend? - (https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07)

Source-Medindia