Dr Reddy's Laboratories Prepares Ground for Affordable Generic Weight-Loss Drug Launch

Indian pharmaceutical giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories is set to introduce a generic version of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in India, at a price potentially up to 60% lower than the branded product. With the semaglutide patent expiring, Dr Reddy's aims to capture market share in the burgeoning weight-loss drug sector.

Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories is gearing up to launch a generic version of the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy at a significantly reduced price, as much as 60% lower than the branded product, a senior executive revealed during the BioAsia conference in Hyderabad.

India emerges as a critical battleground for weight-loss drug manufacturers as the market is projected to reach $150 billion annually by the decade's end. The expiration of the semaglutide patent in March has opened the Indian market for such generic versions, with Dr Reddy's aiming to work with local partners to meet anticipated demand.

Dr Reddy's plans to sell 12 million semaglutide pens in the first year and is also eyeing the U.S. market for introducing a biosimilar version of the cancer treatment rituximab, pending approval. This move comes as the company received recent approval in India to produce a generic of Ozempic.