Ozempic will be sold in pen format in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg doses, Novo said. Monthly prices are 8,800 rupees for 0.25 mg, 10,170 rupees for 0.5 mg and 11,175 rupees for 1 mg, with each pen covering four weekly doses.
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“The price will serve as a benchmark for generic launches expected next quarter… Would look at 50% discount to Novo prices,” said Vishal Manchanda, an analyst at Systematix Institutional Equities.
India has the world’s second-largest population of type 2 diabetes patients after China and rising obesity rates, making it a key battleground for weight-loss and metabolic drugs. Analysts expect the segment to reach $150 billion annually by decade-end.
Ozempic, approved in the United States in 2017 for type 2 diabetes, has become a global bestseller and is widely used off-label for weight loss. Novo said it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular events and kidney issues.
The drug can be prescribed only by endocrinologists or internal medicine specialists and is not intended for cosmetic use, said Shashank Joshi, consultant endocrinologist at Mumbai-based Lilavati Hospital.
“Ozempic also helps people with weight loss of up to 8 kilograms in people with diabetes… So, this medication has benefits beyond glycemic control,” said Novo Nordisk India head Vikrant Shrotriya.
“We realised just after a couple months that for accessibility, we had to take a price cut,” Shrotriya said.
($1 = 90.3375 Indian rupees)
Reporting by Rishika Sadam and Kashish Tandon; Editing by Janane Venkatraman, Mrigank Dhaniwala and Nivedita Bhattacharjee
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