Novo Nordisk launches weight-loss drug Wegovy in India to compete with rival Lilly’s Mounjaro
Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy in the world’s most populous nation, in a move that will challenge rival Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which hit Indian markets in March.
Wegovy, a once-a-week injection, will be in pharmacies by the end of the month, Novo said, as the drug looked poised to erode some of Lilly’s market share. Mounjaro’s sales jumped 60% between April and May, industry experts said.
“One in three patients achieve 20% weight loss (with higher dose of Wegovy),” Novo Nordisk India Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said on Tuesday, adding the company had conducted late stage trials of injectable semaglutide on 3,500 individuals in India.
Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, helped people lose on average 15% of their body weight, compared with nearly 23% achieved by Mounjaro, combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
