In a bid to expand its position in the fast-growing diabetes market, Ahmedabad-based Eris Lifesciences on Tuesday said it has entered the race to commercialise semaglutide in India through a strategic partnership with Natco Pharma.
The development took place after Natco got an approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to manufacture generic semaglutide on February 14, setting up a planned launch in March 2026.
“The collaboration will leverage Eris’s commercial presence in the diabetes segment and Natco’s manufacturing and regulatory prowess in complex formulations,” Eris said in a regulatory filing to the exchanges.
The product will target type-2 diabetes management, aligning with unmet needs in India’s expanding metabolic care landscape.
“Semaglutide represents one of the most significant therapeutic advances in metabolic care in recent years,” said Amit Bakshi, chairman and managing director at Eris Lifesciences.
He added that the partnership reflects continued commitment to strengthening Eris’ diabetes franchise with innovative and high-impact therapies.
The partnership came at a time when India’s weight loss segment was witnessing a deal frenzy with semaglutide expected to lose patent protection in March. Demand for semaglutide-based drugs such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic has skyrocketed, with sales crossing ~1,000 crore in less than a year of launches.
At least seven to eight generic brands are expected to enter the market with Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk expected to lose exclusivity for semaglutide next month. Priced at 50-60 per cent lower rate than the innovator drugs, the entry of generics is expected to further expand the market.
Several companies with different strengths have already announced collaborations to gain ground in a highly competitive market.
Earlier this month, OneSource Pharma partnered with Hikma to commercialise semaglutide in Saudi Arabia.
In December last year, Ajanta Pharma announced an agreement with Biocon to market the drug in several Asian and African markets.
Cipla and Emcure have announced distribution deals with innovators Eli Lilly (Mounjaro) and Novo Nordisk (Wegovy) respectively.
On Tuesday, Eris Lifesciences’ shares went up by 2.68 per cent, ending the day’s trade at Rs 1,387.50 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
 "Eris Life partners Natco Pharma to launch semaglutide generic in India")
