Indian Firms Begin Selling Generic Semaglutide After Patent Expiration

Several Indian pharmaceutical companies began selling cheaper generic brands of semaglutide after the key patent on the drug expired in India in March. The development has intensified competition in the weight-loss market and driven down prices across the sector. Ozempic and Wegovy now sell for as little as $20 in India for a low dose, according to Novo Nordisk India.

Generic brands are priced up to 70 per cent less than that. Mounjaro has become one of the top selling drugs in India. The country has the world's second-highest number of overweight adults and more than 77 million people with Type 2 diabetes, according to The Lancet medical journal.

18 billion) before the end of this decade, according to Pharmarack. To sell a generic version of an approved drug in India, companies must demonstrate bioequivalence and bioavailability to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.

While the patent for Mounjaro has not yet expired in India, the increased competition with generic semaglutide drugs hitting the market has seen prices slashed across the sector. Pankhuri Pareek consulted a doctor after her BMI exceeded 30 following pregnancy weight gain. She was prescribed Mounjaro containing tirzepatide.

"I consulted a doctor, told her that my BMI is getting over 30 and this is not what I want for myself because I want to be fit for myself and my daughter," Ms Pareek told the ABC. Ms Pareek took IV drips to maintain nutrients and hydration while using Mounjaro. She increased strength training to prevent muscle loss while using Mounjaro.

"Everything started getting normal; I feel better as a human being, I feel fitter," she said. Jennifer Joseph was advised by her doctor to lose at least 20 kilograms after an unrelated health scare. She began taking Mounjaro in January at a weight of 104 kilograms and lost six kilograms in the first month.