Weight loss drug Ozempic was launched in India on Friday, with 0.25mg doses priced at $24.35 a week.
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 said.
Monthly prices in India have been set at 8,800 rupees ($97) for a 0.25mg dose, with the 0.5mg dose to cost 10,170 rupees. The 1mg dose is priced at 11,175 rupees a month. Each pen contains four weekly doses.
Ozempic, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017 to treat Type 2 diabetes, has surged in popularity and is widely used for weight loss due to its appetite-suppressing effects. It also has benefits for people with cardiovascular and kidney issues, Novo said.
"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, as well as 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. Analysts expect the sector to be valued at $150 billion a year by the end of the decade.
Novo has launched Ozempic in India this month to gain a foothold before domestic companies introduce cheaper versions. Patents for semaglutide, the name for the medication sold under brands including Ozempic and Wegovy, are to expire in March 2026.
