In a bid to compete with cheaper generics, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk on Monday announced a 36 percent and 48 percent price cut for its injectable semaglutide brands Ozympic and Vigovi in India, respectively. However, senior executives told Business Standard that the company is not planning a similar move for its oral semaglutide brand, Rebelsos.
“It’s basically in the injectables space where we’ve lowered the price because we’ve seen good volume adoption. We want to have that kind of broad access.” Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director of Novo Nordisk India, said in a phone call.
Following the reduction, the 0.25 milligram (mg) dose of Ozempic and Wegovy will cost Rs 5,660 per month, down from Rs 8,800 and Rs 10,848 respectively.
Ozympic is available in the country in three dosages — 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg — which was earlier priced between Rs 8,800 and Rs 11,175. The revised range stands at ₹ 5,660 to ₹ 9,100, indicating an average decline of 23.8 per cent.
Vigovi, which was marketed in five doses at ₹ 10,850 to ₹ 16,400, will now be priced between ₹ 5,660 and ₹ 16,400, representing an average reduction of 27 percent.
Ozympic is indicated for the management of diabetes, while Vigovi is recommended for obesity and weight management.
The price drop comes as several Indian drugmakers have launched generic versions of semaglutide, cutting treatment costs by up to 90 percent. At least 17 generic versions have entered the Indian market across delivery formats, including reusable pens, special dosage vials and oral tablets.
The revised price brings its products closer to the generics introduced by Sun Pharma, Natto Pharma and Dr. Reddy’s.
Sun Pharma has launched Noveltreat for diabetes in two formulations priced at ₹ 3,000 to ₹ 5,200 per month, and Noveltreat for weight management at ₹ 3,600 to ₹ 8,000 per month.
Natco Pharma has introduced pen-based semaglutide at Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per month. Dr. Reddy Laboratories has launched Obeda, an injectable pen for diabetes, priced at ₹ 4,200 per month.
Shrotriya said that the decision was to expand the potential for type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity patients in India and was considered even before the patent expired on March 20.
He said that with India’s high burden of obesity and diabetes, lower prices would significantly expand access. “Cost reduction is an evolution of our patient-centric approach in India. Our focus has always been to balance innovation with access, ensuring that more patients can benefit from treatments supported by strong clinical evidence, safety and long-term outcomes,” he added.
Novo Nordisk has previously indicated to Trading Standard that it does not intend to pursue a competitive price for the molecule.
“We are adapting to an evolving market to expand reach in a more meaningful way, while maintaining the high standards associated with our innovation,” Shrotriya said on Tuesday.
He added that the move was a carefully planned decision informed by feedback from healthcare professionals and patients, and reflects the company’s commitment to continuity of care with treatments that deliver proven clinical results rather than a shift towards purely competitive pricing.
Industry experts and medical experts said the price cut could change India’s obesity and diabetes treatment landscape. “Price reductions will help innovators to further expand market share as physicians may increasingly prefer innovative drugs over generics due to strong clinical evidence, established safety profiles and consistent results,” said a pharmaceutical executive.
Sukvinder Singh Sago, director of minimal access, gastric and bariatric surgery at Delhi’s CK Birla Hospital, said doctors may be more willing to start treatment earlier in the disease’s progression, potentially improving long-term metabolic outcomes.
Another analyst said that while repurchasing innovator drugs would increase competition, it was unlikely to materially eliminate the role of generics.
“Generics will remain relevant, especially in price-sensitive segments and non-metro markets, where affordability remains a key driver. However, with price reduction, some shift in preference towards innovative brands may be seen in urban and specialist-led settings,” Sago added.
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