Major Pharmaceutical Partnership Targets India's Obesity Market
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has announced an exclusive collaboration with Pune-based Emcure Pharmaceuticals to widely distribute its weight-loss therapy semaglutide across India. This strategic move comes as competition intensifies in the country's rapidly expanding anti-obesity drug market.
The partnership announcement follows closely on the heels of US drugmaker Eli Lilly's similar agreement last month with Mumbai-headquartered Cipla to distribute its anti-obesity medication Tirzepatide.
New Brand and Competitive Pricing Strategy
The companies revealed they will launch semaglutide under the new brand name Poviztra, formulated as a 2.4mg weekly injection. While the specific pricing strategy and exact launch date remain undisclosed, both companies emphasized their commitment to being "very competitive" in pricing.
Novo Nordisk currently markets semaglutide in India under two brand names: Wegovy, launched in June 2025, and Rybelsus, an oral pill introduced in 2022. Wegovy is available as a once-weekly injectable in five different dosages.
The current pricing structure for Wegovy includes:
- 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg doses: ₹4,336 per dose or ₹17,345 monthly
- 1.7 mg dose: ₹24,280 monthly
- 2.4 mg maintenance dose: ₹26,015 monthly
Expanding Access Across India
Vikrant Shrotriya, Novo Nordisk's India managing director, explained that partnering with a domestic pharmaceutical company aims to increase scale and reach patient populations beyond their current capabilities.
"I don't think obesity is limited to a metro town in India or a [tier 1 or 2] town. I think it has penetrated a wide section of our society, down to villages," Shrotriya stated during a virtual press conference.
He emphasized that currently only a small percentage of India's population has access to these treatments, but the partnership with Emcure will significantly expand availability across the country.
Emcure's Distribution Strength
Emcure Pharmaceuticals, ranked as the 14th largest pharmaceutical company in India by FY25 sales, brings substantial distribution capabilities to the partnership. This collaboration marks Emcure's entry into the anti-obesity segment.
Satish Mehta, Emcure's CEO and managing director, highlighted their extensive network including 30 CNF agents nationwide and coverage of 40-50% of Indian pharmacies.
"We have a great distribution network. So to that extent, even in the remote part of the country, we are confident of reaching the product in the shortest possible period," Mehta assured.
The company plans to leverage its 5,000 medical representatives to target multiple therapy areas and specialists, including nephrology, hepatology, and gynecology, where semaglutide shows potential applications.
Intensifying Market Competition
Novo Nordisk faces significant challenges in the Indian market, having lost the early-mover advantage to Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, which launched in March 2025 and has reportedly outpaced Wegovy sales by 10 times as of October 2025.
Adding to the competitive pressure, semaglutide is set to lose patent exclusivity in March next year, opening the door for generic versions from domestic drugmakers including Mankind Pharma, Dr Reddy's, and Sun Pharma.
Globally, Novo Nordisk recently lowered its full-year 2025 sales growth forecast to 8-11% and operating profit growth to 4-7%, citing slower-than-expected growth in its key drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.
The Indian market represents a crucial battleground for weight-loss drugmakers, with 254 million obese people and over 100 million with diabetes in the country, creating substantial demand for effective obesity treatments.
