Novo Nordisk, Abbott tie up to launch second Ozempic brand in India

Abbott will commercialise Extensior, a second semaglutide brand of Ozempic in India, as part of Novo Nordisk's strategy to expand access amid rising demand and looming patent expiry

Drug maker Abbott on Friday said it has tied up with Novo Nordisk India to commercialise Extensior, a semaglutide injection to be marketed as the second brand of Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic.

 

The partnership comes two months after Ozempic’s India launch and underscores Novo Nordisk’s push to expand access beyond metros and premium clinics. 

Under the partnership, Abbott will exclusively distribute and market Extensior in the country, becoming the second Indian company to secure sole distribution rights for a semaglutide injection, after Emcure Pharma. 

“The manufacturing will remain with Novo Nordisk,” people in the know told Business Standard.

 

 

They added that Extensior will be available in three dosage forms: 0.25 milligram (mg), 0.5 mg and 1 mg, the same as Ozempic. While Novo did not respond to queries over pricing, people quoted above said it will be competitively priced.

 

The deal comes months after Novo Nordisk entered a similar partnership with Emcure Pharma to commercialise Poviztra, a 2.4 milligram (mg) semaglutide injection marketed as a second brand of the weight-loss drug Wegovy in India.

 

Eli Lilly, too, has a distribution partnership with Cipla for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro. Mounjaro has clocked cumulative sales of Rs 713 crore since its launch in March last year, while Wegovy continues to build market share.

 

Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and the active ingredient in Ozempic, is administered once a week through a pre-filled injection pen.

 

It is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in adults with insufficiently controlled Type 2 diabetes. “It offers powerful HbA1c reduction, weight-loss benefits and proven risk reduction of cardiovascular and kidney events in people with Type 2 diabetes,” Abbott said in a regulatory filing on the exchanges.

 

The partnership comes at a time when India’s weight-loss segment is 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 Rs 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 drug maker Novo Nordisk expected to lose exclusivity for semaglutide next month. Priced at 50–60 per cent lower than 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. Last week, Eris Lifesciences partnered to commercialise semaglutide in India through a strategic partnership with Natco Pharma.

 

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.

 

Noting that India is facing one of the world’s fastest-growing diabetes burdens, Kartik Rajendran, Managing Director, Abbott India, said that addressing this challenge requires continuous innovation and strong partnerships.

 

“More than 100 million individuals in India live with diabetes, and this is projected to surge to more than 150 million by 2050, a 50 per cent increase, driven by rapid urbanisation, ageing populations, increasing obesity and lifestyle changes,” the drug maker added.