BT Exclusive: Novo Nordisk to launch Wegovy in India this year, confirms India MD

Novo Nordisk is preparing to launch its blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy (injectable semaglutide) in India later this year, the company told Business Today, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle with Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro in the rapidly growing medical weight loss market.

Initially planning to bring the drug, to the country in 2026, the company is now advancing its launch to the coming months.

“We are actively working towards making injectable semaglutide for overweight and obesity available in India within this year. Our efforts are focused on ensuring timely access to this innovative treatment for patients in need,” Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director and Corporate Vice President, Novo Nordisk India told BT.

The company is currently finalising the pricing of Wegovy, with a focus on keeping it competitive within the Indian market. “The pricing is influenced by various factors, including the national economy and the country’s pricing and reimbursement systems,” Shrotriya said.

Novo Nordisk’s India launch comes amid growing demand for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapies, and follows the recent rollout of Mounjaro by Eli Lilly, a dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. It is a medicine that activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. With obesity affecting an estimated 40% of Indian adults and contributing to cardiovascular risks, the need for accessible treatment options continues to grow.

Backed by the global SELECT (Semaglutide Effects on Cardiovascular Outcomes in People With Overweight or Obesity) trial, semaglutide 2.4 mg (the active ingredient in Wegovy) was associated with a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in people with established cardiovascular disease and obesity or overweight, but without diabetes. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s drug regulator, approved this additional indication in February 2025.

The SELECT trial included over 17,600 participants aged 45 and above with a body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m², and ran over a five-year period. It found semaglutide 2.4 mg more effective than a placebo (a substance with no therapeutic effect) in reducing cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke.

India has over 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million with abdominal obesity, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The economic impact of obesity-related conditions is projected to reach 2.5% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2060. However, long-term treatment options remain limited in terms of affordability and access.

Novo Nordisk aims to address this through both Wegovy and broader healthcare initiatives. “We have worked with several state governments on diabetes care and are now using that experience in the obesity segment,” said Shrotriya. The company plans to expand capacity through model obesity clinics and healthcare professional training programs.

To support growing demand, Novo Nordisk has increased production at sites in Denmark, Ireland, the United States, and France. “We have made capital investments of over $23 billion to improve supply stability of GLP-1 medications like Wegovy,” said Shrotriya.