With Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drug, Ozempic (semaglutide), expected to see surge in sales, Indian pharmaceutical companies are rapidly racing to manufacture weight loss drugs, considering the burgeoning potential in the domestic market. Ozempic is expected to witness 23% growth in sales, reaching $12.5 billion in 2023, according to the data analytics firm GlobalData.
Due to the limited availability of weight loss drugs in the country, some of the pharma firms like Dr. Reddy's, Lupin, Zydus, and Sun Pharma are actively engaged in the development of anti-obesity medications for the Indian market.
As indicated by a report from IMARC Group, a market research company, the India weight management market size reached Rs 1,514.4 crore in 2022, and it is projected to escalate to Rs 2,762.7 crore by 2028, demonstrating a noteworthy CAGR of 10.6 per cent during the period from 2023 to 2028.
Also read: India to witness the fastest growth rate in biologicals in next 5 years, CPHI
Major global players in the obesity drugs market are F Hoffmann La Roche Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline plc., Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc., Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., VIVUS, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, and Eisai Co., Ltd.
The obesity market in India is undergoing rapid expansion. Despite the official unavailability of expensive weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy in the country, there is a discernible surge in demand among affluent individuals. Notably, celebrities and the wealthy in India are procuring these expensive medications from other countries, with reports indicating usage by prominent figures such as Tesla head Elon Musk and several Hollywood actors.
As the demand for these drugs grows in India, companies such as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Lupin, Torrent, and Zydus Cadila have obesity drug candidates advancing through various stages of development.
Also read: India's healthcare industry could grow to $37 billion by 2030, says report
Sun Pharma recently presented data from the inaugural Phase 1 studies of its non-diabetic candidate, GL0034. This month, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories obtained permission from CDSCO, the country's national regulatory body for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, to conduct a bioequivalence study on semaglutide, the active ingredient in obesity drugs.
Lupin has also shown interest in forming alliances to address the anti-obesity market in India, responding to an increased demand for Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Ozempic (semaglutide), introduced in India by Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk in January 2022 for blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes, remains a highly sought-after medication.
However, according to doctors, numerous practitioners are currently prescribing GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, such as liraglutide, for weight management in individuals with diabetes and are also contemplating their use for non-diabetic individuals.
“Semaglutide is a GLP-1 RA-based therapy for people living with Type-2 diabetes. Ozempic (once weekly injectable semaglutide) is not available in the country. However, semaglutide in oral form (available as once daily tablet) for treating Type-2 diabetes is available in India. In general, people in the country tend to prefer tablets over injectables1 and oral semaglutide provides the benefits of the GLP-1 RA therapy with the convenience of a tablet," said Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director and Corporate Vice President, Novo Nordisk India said.
"Clinical trials show that it achieved unprecedented blood glucose control (HbA1c reduction of up to 1.5% from a baseline HbA1c of 8%)2,3, unsurpassed weight loss (up to 5 kg from a baseline weight of 94 kg)2,4, cardiovascular safety5, reduction in cardio-metabolic risk factors with low risk of hypoglycaemia4,” he said.
The existing drugs for obesity include Orlistat, with copycat versions produced by various pharmaceutical companies, and Lorcaserin from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Other drugs in available in India include the Phentermine and Topiramate Combination from Vivus Pharmaceuticals and Liraglutide (GLP-1 Receptor Agonist) from Novo Nordisk.
Doctors emphasize caution, emphasizing the need to ensure safety when prescribing these drugs for weight loss. “Caution is advised when administering Ozempic and its related drugs to patients, as there is a need to be vigilant about potential copycat medications that may pose risks. It's noteworthy that all the sister drugs available in India are branded and belong to multinational companies,” said Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis-C-DOC hospital and Chairman, National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation.
Experts in the pharmaceutical industry suggest that anti-obesity drugs may impact the market for diabetes drugs.
Last year, Tina Deng, Principal Medical Devices Analyst at data analytics firm GlobalData, said that there are concerns regarding the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic would affect the diabetes care device market. GlobalData had said that weight-loss drugs will have a significant impact on the treatment of obesity population, but less on people with insulin-dependent diabetes.