Anti-obesity mkt heats up as Mounjaro's Kwikpen version gets India approval

Eli Lilly's prefilled shot arrives a day after Wegovy, reloading race for expanding waistline market

The race for a piece of India’s growing obesity market is intensifying. Eli Lilly and Company has secured market authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to launch Mounjaro — its blockbuster weight-loss drug — in a prefilled KwikPen, making it available in a ready-to-use format.

 

Until now, Mounjaro, launched in India in March, was sold only in vials. The US pharmaceutical (pharma) giant announced the move just a day after Danish rival Novo Nordisk introduced its weight-loss therapy, Wegovy, in the Indian market.

 

With the world’s third-highest population of people living with overweight and obesity, India is an emerging hotspot for weight-loss treatments. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research-INDIAB (India Diabetes) study, the country has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million with abdominal obesity.

 

 

Although still a niche segment, the anti-obesity market is gaining momentum. According to Pharmarack data, Mounjaro sales jumped 60 per cent in May, reaching ₹12.61 crore versus ₹7.88 crore in April — its second full month of availability in India.

 

Meanwhile, Wegovy is set to arrive in pharmacies by the end of June 2025. Both treatments are once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist injections, differing in their indications, pricing, and clinical positioning. 

 

Mounjaro currently sells in 2.5 milligram (mg) and 5 mg doses, priced between ₹14,000 and ₹17,500 per month, while Wegovy will launch with five dose strengths — 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg — priced ₹17,345-26,050 per month. Both treatments adopt a gradual dose-escalation protocol, starting with a low dose administered weekly and increasing every four weeks until reaching a maintenance level.

 

With the KwikPen’s launch, Lilly will soon expand Mounjaro to six dosage options — 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg — providing a more tailored approach for patients.

 

“With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals,” said Winselow Tucker, president and general manager at Lilly India.

 

Commenting on the growing rivalry, Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, director for minimal access, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said the entry of global pharma giants like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will likely drive innovation, expand access, and lower treatment costs over time.

 

“With both Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) showing promising clinical outcomes, the increased options could encourage broader adoption of medical interventions for obesity — a long-neglected area of healthcare in India,” he added.

 

FAT OF THE MATTER

 

·         Eli Lilly receives market authorisation for ready-to-use Mounjaro KwikPen in India

 

·         Will be available in six dose forms soon, one more than rival Wegovy

 

·         Wegovy arrives in India with five dose strengths by June 2025

 

·         India has the third-highest number of people with overweight or obesity

 

·         Growing competition expected to drive innovation, broaden access, and lower costs