Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk announced on Tuesday a significant price reduction for its well-known weight loss drug, Wegovy, slashing the weekly cost by 37%. The lowest 0.25 mg dose will now be priced at Rs 2,712, down from Rs 4,336, while the highest 2.4 mg dose will cost Rs 4,100 per week. This adjustment makes Wegovy notably more affordable compared to its main competitor, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.
The price cut arrives as Eli Lilly has been making substantial inroads into the Indian weight loss market, launching Mounjaro several months earlier than Novo Nordisk. Currently, Mounjaro costs Rs 3,500 for a 2.5 mg single-dose vial and Rs 4,375 for a 5 mg vial, leading to monthly expenses ranging from Rs 14,000 to Rs 17,500. For those using the KwikPen, the highest 15 mg dose is priced at Rs 27,500 monthly.
Market data from Pharmarack indicates that in October, Mounjaro’s monthly sales were nearly ten times that of Wegovy, making it the highest-grossing drug with sales around Rs 100 crore. Additionally, the sales performance of Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide, marketed as Rybelsus, appears to be adversely affected by this competition.
Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India, stated, “Ever since the launch of this innovative chronic weight management medication this year, we have dedicatedly worked towards making it accessible to the maximum number of people living with overweight or obesity in India. We have made sure to listen to our patient and doctor communities and take active measures for the benefit of people at large.”
Earlier in the year, Indian consumers gained access to these effective weight-loss treatments, with Mounjaro debuting in March and Wegovy following in June. Clinical studies suggest that participants using Wegovy lost an average of nearly 15% of their body weight, with one in three individuals shedding up to 20%, comparable to results seen in bariatric surgery. Contrastingly, trials have indicated that individuals using tirzepatide, another weight-loss medication, exhibited even greater likelihood of weight reduction.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/novo-nordisk-cuts-price-of-its-weight-loss-drug-by-37-10360234/
Category: India
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Publish Date: 2025-11-12 01:36:00
