Novo Nordisk cuts weight-loss drug Wegovy prices by up to 37% in India

Move comes in a bid to gain more space in India's anti-obesity market dominated by Mounjaro

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk on Tuesday announced to cut the price of its weight loss drug Wegovy by up to 37 per cent in the face of stiff competition in India’s anti-obesity market currently dominated by Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

 

Wegovy injections, available in five dose strengths (0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 milligrams (mg)), are currently priced between ₹ 17,345 to ₹26,050 across dosages in India.

 

With the price drops, Wegovy’s higher doses of 1.7 and 2.4 mg will now cost ₹16,400, while the price for its 0.5 and 1 mg will be ₹13,850. Similarly, its lowest dose of 0.25 mg will now sell at ₹10,850.

 

The price drop comes even as the semaglutide-based medication has been playing catch-up to Mounjaro, with the drug unable to see an uptick in sales since its launch in June this year.

 

According to data from market research firm Pharmarack, Wegovy has been able to rake in ₹37 crore in sales, with the drug seeing ₹9 crore in sales for the last three months.

 

On the other hand, Mounajro has had cumulative sales of ₹333 crore since its launch in March this year. The drug also became the most sold medication in terms of revenue in the Indian pharma market in October, with ₹100 crore in sales.       

 

Both drugs are part of a class of treatments called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which promote a longer-lasting feeling of fullness and are prescribed for obesity and diabetes.

 

The development also comes on the heels of Novo Nordisk’s partnership with Emcure Pharmaceuticals to get Wegovy to more patients across the country.

 

Calling obesity a serious concern for India, Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director at Novo Nordisk India, said that the price revision underlines its mission to provide quality obesity treatment to Indians, which is effective, safe, convenient and can be sustained in their daily lives.

 

“Ever since the launch of this innovative chronic weight management medication (Wegovy) this year, we have dedicatedly worked towards making it accessible to the maximum number of people living with overweight or obesity in India,” he added.

 

Studies estimate that India is home to over 600 million people with generalised or abdominal obesity.

 

Wegovy’s active ingredient, semaglutide, is also scheduled off patent in India in March 2026, with the loss of exclusivity expected to enable the entry of numerous generics in the market.

 

Commenting on this challenge, Shrotiya had earlier told Business Standard that obesity is a large-scale health challenge that requires multiple players.

 

“We welcome any companies that enter the market after loss of exclusivity, as the problem is far too big for one player to solve,” he stated.