Lilly to launch Mounjaro pen in India to compete with Novo’s weight-loss drug Wegovy
India’s drug regulator on Thursday approved the launch of pre-filled injector pens of Eli Lilly’s blockbuster weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, giving the company more options to compete with rival Novo Nordisk’s recently launched Wegovy.
India, the world’s most populous country, has high obesity rates and the second-highest number of people with type 2 diabetes. Around 11% of Indian adults are expected to become obese by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation Atlas.
“With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized approach to treatment,” Lilly India President Winselow Tucker said.
Mounjaro KwikPen, for once-weekly use, has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for six dose strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg, the company said in a statement.
The approval will help the company compete more effectively with Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, which launched Wegovy in India on Tuesday in multiple dose strengths and an “easy-to-use” pen device.
The world’s most populous country offers a big opportunity for weight-loss drugmakers, given a rapid rise in diabetes and obesity cases. India ranks among the top three countries globally for high obesity rates, according to a study published in the medical journal the Lancet.
Lilly did not give details on the pricing, although each pen will have four fixed doses of 0.6 ml.
The drugs belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel fuller for longer.
In the domestic market, the companies will face competition from generic drugmakers racing to make cheaper versions of Wegovy as its active ingredient, semaglutide, goes off patent next year in India.
