Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director and Corporate Vice President of Novo Nordisk India, told CNBC-TV18 that the company is making available Wegovy in five strengths—0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg—following clinical trials on over 3,000 Indian patients. The decision to introduce Wegovy, and not the type 2 diabetes injectable Ozempic, was linked to the company’s existing diabetes franchise: oral semaglutide, launched in 2022. The company believes that with over 40% of Indian adults classified as overweight or obese, the drug will be important to address obesity.
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According to Shrotriya, oral semaglutide has been well accepted by Indian patients and physicians, especially given that three out of four diabetes patients in India prefer oral medications. With Wegovy, Novo Nordisk aims to offer a complementary tool for managing chronic weight issues.
When asked about the higher efficacy benchmarks set by newer molecules like tirzepatide (mounjaro), Shrotriya highlighted that approximately one in three patients on Wegovy achieved weight loss of 20% or more, reinforcing its strong performance. He added that higher oral doses of semaglutide are currently under evaluation for weight loss, while lower strengths have already demonstrated efficacy comparable to injectables for diabetes.
However, semaglutide faces a stiff challenge from Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro or trizepatide, which has shown superior weight loss results in global trials—up to 15.3% at 12 months, compared to Ozempic’s 8.3%. While Shrotriya maintained that Eli Lily’s launch ahead of Novo Nordisk was incidental, he welcomed the competition.
Analysts believe Novo Nordisk will need to sharpen its differentiation strategy, particularly around pricing, accessibility, and clinical positioning, to maintain an edge in the increasingly competitive GLP-1 landscape.
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When it comes to pricing, Wegovy is priced between ₹17,345 and ₹26,015 per month, depending on the dose. This is significantly higher than Mounjaro, which is available in India for ₹14,000–₹17,000 per month. Shrotriya says their pricing is smart and innovation-based, noting the first three strengths are priced equally to ease patient onboarding. However, experts believe the drug may struggle to gain wide traction, especially in non-metro markets.
Another looming factor is generic competition that is expected in India by March 2026, following patent expiry. While Shrotriya stated that Novo is prepared—citing its continued insulin market leadership despite generics—analysts believe the GLP-1 weight loss segment could fragment quickly, especially if Indian drugmakers enter quickly with as much as 50% discounts.
Another factor that may weigh on pricing is that Wegovy will be completely imported, with no local manufacturing planned. Shrotirya points out that Novo Nordisk has invested over $20 billion globally in production capacity. And when it comes to distribution tie-ups, Shrotriya said future distribution tie-ups may be considered, though none have been finalised yet. For now, the company will be distributing the drug on its own.
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On the safety front, medical experts have raised concerns. Shrotriya addressed linkages with GLP1 drugs with eye complications, including a JAMA Ophthalmology study that linked GLP-1 drugs to a higher risk of macular degeneration. He emphasised that no causal relationship has been found across over 60,000 patients who were part of 40 clinical trials. Similarly, thyroid concerns flagged in rats have not been observed in humans. Muscle loss, he added, is a natural part of weight reduction and not considered abnormal in Wegovy users.
He reiterated that obesity is a chronic condition, and like other diseases, symptoms may return if treatment is discontinued—a phenomenon widely known as the “yo-yo effect”. Continued therapy, he said, is recommended for lasting benefit.
Notably, Wegovy is only approved for obesity in India. Novo Nordisk has no immediate plans to launch Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, though it is exploring oral semaglutide for obesity. Shrotriya said injectables and oral formats will co-exist, offering options based on patient needs.
