Novo Nordisk Cuts Wegovy Price in India

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has reduced the price of its popular weight-loss drug, Wegovy, by up to 37% from its launch price in India. This move is aimed at increasing its market share in the fast-growing Indian market for obesity treatments.

• The company’s document sent to distributors shows the price cut, which includes a slight reduction due to a revision in the national sales tax structure in September.

• The price of the highest dose (2.4 mg) of Wegovy will now be $186 for a monthly pack, down from its earlier price of $277.

• The lowest dose (0.25 mg) will now sell for $123 per month, compared to $184 previously.

India is becoming a key competitive ground for Novo Nordisk and U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly as they vie for a larger share of the global weight-loss drug market, which analysts estimate could be worth $150 billion annually by the end of the decade.

• Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which was introduced in India in June, is currently “playing catch-up” to Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, whose sales have doubled since its launch in March and was India’s top-selling drug by value in October.

To broaden the reach of their respective GLP-1 drugs in India, both companies are partnering with major local pharmaceutical distributors:

• Eli Lilly has partnered with Cipla to distribute Mounjaro, including launching it under a second brand name, Yurpeak. This is intended to leverage Cipla’s extensive distribution network across India.

• Novo Nordisk has partnered with Emcure Pharma to commercialize a second brand of its drug, Wegovy (semaglutide), under the name Poviztra. This partnership aims to widen access to the drug in areas and through channels not currently served by Novo Nordisk India.

Experts believe these partnerships are crucial to making the drugs more accessible in India.

Both Wegovy and Mounjaro are GLP-1 receptor agonists used for treating obesity and diabetes. The price reduction for Wegovy is also seen as a move to better compete ahead of its active ingredient, semaglutide, going off patent in India in March 2026, which will allow generic drugmakers to enter the market.