Novo Nordisk's Ozempic Is Launching In India, Country Head Calls It A "Welcome Change"

After Mounjaro, Ozempic is all set to be launched in India for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Ozempic has gained quite a reputation around the world, mainly because of the benefits it offers along with the side effect of helping people lose weight.

In a conversation with India Today, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's India Head, Vikrant Shrotiya, shares that the pharmaceutical giant is ready to launch Ozempic, or semaglutide, in India.

"With the highly anticipated launch expected soon, Novo Nordisk will now complete its semaglutide portfolio in India, providing a range of treatments to address diverse patient needs - oral semaglutide for diabetes, advanced obesity management through injectable," he told the publication.

When Novo Nordisk's patent on semaglutide expires in March next year, it is anticipated that top Indian pharmaceutical companies will release a slew of generic equivalents.

"With our patents expiring in 2026, many more players will enter the market. The competitive intensity itself could bring down the cost of medicines, at least among the generics," Shrotiya told the publication.

Speaking on the World Health Organization adding Ozempic to its list of essential medicines, Novo Nordisk's Shrotiya said, "When WHO (World Health Organization) puts it out as a part of an essential medicine, it just goes to show how much value it brings to people with diabetes and obesity."

According to WHO, an estimated 77 million people over the age of 18 suffer from type 2 diabetes. To this, Shrotiya says that this is going to be a "welcome change" for the population tackling diabetes.

"The introduction of Ozempic is a welcome change, and I am sure this will help bring more formulary inclusions in government bodies, treating bodies and insurance," he said.

What Is Ozempic?

According to Diabetes UK, Ozempic is an injectable used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes to manage blood sugar levels. However, many people use it as a weight loss drug. First approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Ozempic is not a weight loss drug per se; it rather leads to weight loss as a side effect.