Amid competition from cheaper generics, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk on Monday announced price cuts of up to 36 per cent and 48 per cent for its injectable semaglutide brands Ozempic and Wegovy, respectively, in India. Senior executives, however, told Business Standard that the company does not plan a similar move for its oral semaglutide brand, Rybelsus.
“It is basically in the injectable space where we have reduced the price because we have seen a good amount of acceptability. We would like to have this kind of a reach far and wide,” said Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director at Novo Nordisk India, in a telephonic interaction.
Following the reduction, a 0.25 milligram (mg) dose of Ozempic and Wegovy will be priced at ₹5,660 per month, down from ₹ 8,800 and ₹10,848, respectively.
Ozempic is available in the country in three dosage strengths — 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg — previously priced between ₹8,800 and ₹11,175. The revised range stands at ₹5,660 to ₹9,100, implying an average decline of 23.8 per cent.
Wegovy, marketed in five dosage strengths at ₹10,850 to ₹16,400, will now be priced between ₹5,660 and ₹16,400, representing an average reduction of 27 per cent.
Ozempic is indicated for diabetes management, while Wegovy is prescribed for obesity and weight management.
The price cuts come as several Indian drugmakers have launched generic versions of semaglutide, reducing treatment costs by up to 90 per cent. At least 17 generic versions have entered the Indian market across delivery formats, including reusable pens, dose-specific vials and oral tablets.
Novo’s revised pricing brings its products closer to generics introduced by Sun Pharma, Natco Pharma and Dr Reddy’s.
Sun Pharma has launched Sematrinity for diabetes in two formats priced at ₹3,000 to ₹5,200 per month, and Noveltreat for weight management across five dosage strengths at ₹3,600 to ₹8,000 per month.
Natco Pharma has introduced a pen-based semaglutide at ₹4,000 to ₹4,500 per month. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has launched Obeda, an injectable pen for diabetes, priced at ₹4,200 per month.
Shrotriya said the decision was aimed at expanding affordability for patients with type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity in India, and had been under consideration even before the patent expiry on March 20.
With India’s large burden of obesity and diabetes, he said, lower prices would significantly broaden access. “This price cut is a progression of our patient-centric approach in India. Our focus has always been to balance innovation with access, ensuring that more patients can benefit from therapies backed by strong clinical evidence, safety and long-term outcomes,” he added.
Novo Nordisk had previously indicated to Business Standard that it did not intend to pursue competitive pricing for the molecule.
“We are adapting to an evolving market to expand access 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, shaped by feedback from healthcare professionals and patients, and reflected the company’s commitment to continuity of care with therapies delivering proven clinical outcomes, rather than a shift towards purely competitive pricing.
Industry experts and medical practitioners said the price cuts could reshape India’s obesity and diabetes treatment landscape. “The price cut will help Novo expand its market share further as clinicians may increasingly prefer the innovator drug over generics due to robust clinical evidence, established safety profiles and consistent outcomes,” a pharmaceutical executive said.
Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, director for minimal access, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery at Delhi’s CK Birla Hospital, said physicians may be more inclined to initiate treatment earlier in the disease progression, potentially improving long-term metabolic outcomes.
Another analyst said that while the repricing of innovator drugs would intensify competition, it was unlikely to materially erode the role of generics.
“Generics will continue to remain relevant, particularly in price-sensitive segments and non-metro markets, where affordability remains a key driver. However, with the narrowing price gap, some shift in preference toward innovator brands may be observed in urban and specialist-led settings,” Saggu added.