As patents for Novo Nordisk’s popular diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wigovy expire today in India, more than 40 generic drug makers are expected to launch cheaper versions in the country, with one company announcing it will cut the initial dose to 1,290 rupees ($13.79) per month.
Almost all of India’s generic drug giants, including Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, Cipla, Biocon and Mankind, are lining up to launch GLP-1 counterfeits. Earlier this week, leading Mumbai-based companies Lupine and Zydus announced a licensing and supply partnership for semaglutide aimed at leveraging the former’s commercial presence and the latter’s development capabilities. Zydus, which announced the product launch today, has also entered into a similar partnership with Torrent Pharmaceuticals.
The coming weeks are expected to be “chaotic” as so many companies launch products, “overwhelming prescribers with aggressive marketing campaigns and the quality of various devices,” reports the Hindustan Times.
Since Novo and Eli Lilly launched competing diabetes and weight-loss drugs in India, use has been largely limited to wealthy urban dwellers who can afford the treatment. But experts believe that the availability of cheaper versions will lead to more patients flooding the market.
“Due to high demand, falling prices and multiple brands, especially in urban markets, we are likely to see direct purchases at pharmacies, distributor-level leakage, or use in cosmetics and lifestyle,” Salil Kalianpour, a Mumbai-based healthcare industry consultant, told Reuters. “This can lead to misuse, inappropriate dosing, uncontrolled side effects, and ultimately increased regulation.”
Also launched on Friday was Natco, which last month received regulatory approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for counterfeit semaglutide. Natco will sell multi-dose vials at prices ranging from 1,290 rupees ($13.79) to 1,750 rupees ($18.71) per month, depending on the dose, and will offer pen devices at 4,000 rupees ($42.77) to 4,500 rupees ($48.12) per month.
Novo sells its own brand Ozempic in the range of 8,800 rupees ($94) to 11,175 rupees ($119) per month, while Wegovy sells it for up to 16,400 rupees ($175) per month. Generic competition is also likely to affect Lilly, which began selling tirzepatide in India a year ago, and whose prices are generally higher than those for Novo’s semaglutide.
The Indian market is huge. It has the second highest number of people with diabetes after China (90 million people), with 148 million people in China and 38.5 million people in the United States.
India will be an interesting test case as drug companies flood the market with generic drugs. Semaglutide will lose patent protection in several other countries around the world within the next few years, but not in Europe or the US until the 2031-32 period. By then, several more products will have entered the market and the competitive landscape will have changed significantly.
