Weight loss drug Ozempic was launched in India on Friday, with 0.25mg doses priced at $24.35 a week, reports BritPanorama.
Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk made the move as demand for weight loss treatments surges around the world. Ozempic will be sold in injectable pens, with doses of 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg, the company announced.
Monthly prices in India have been set at 8,800 rupees ($97) for a 0.25mg dose, with the 0.5mg dose priced at 10,170 rupees and the 1mg dose at 11,175 rupees. Each pen contains four weekly doses.
Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017 to treat Type 2 diabetes, Ozempic has surged in popularity and is widely used for weight loss due to its appetite-suppressing effects. It also has cardiovascular and kidney benefits, according to Novo.
“Ozempic also helps people with weight loss of up to 8kg in people with diabetes … so this medication has benefits beyond glycemic control,” said Vikrant Shrotriya, corporate vice president and managing director of Novo Nordisk India.
India’s rising obesity rates
India has the second-highest number of people with Type 2 diabetes after China, alongside rising obesity rates. The country has become a key battleground for pharmaceutical companies vying for a share of the fast-growing weight loss treatment market, expected to be valued at $150 billion annually by the end of the decade.
Novo has launched Ozempic in India this month to establish a foothold before domestic companies introduce cheaper alternatives, with patents for semaglutide, the drug sold under the brands Ozempic and Wegovy, set to expire in March 2026.
