Wegovy, widely popular weight-loss drug, launched in India

Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has officially launched its flagship obesity drug Wegovy (semaglutide) in India, announced Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya on Tuesday.

Wegovy is a once-weekly GLP1 receptor agonist (separate from Ozempic), approved in India for the treatment of chronic weight management in adults who are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related health condition.

Wegovy is a once-weekly injection that contains semaglutide as its main ingredient, the same compound used in Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes drug, Ozempic.

A lower-dose version of semaglutide has already been available in India since 2022 under the brand name Rybelsus, which comes in the form of a pill and is used to treat type 2 diabetes.

The price for the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg doses of Wegovy is Rs 17,345 per month, which comes to a weekly cost of approximately Rs 4,366. The 1.7 mg dose is priced at Rs 24,280 per month, while the 2.4 mg dose, the highest, costs Rs 26,015 for a month’s supply.

Semaglutide works by copying



the action of a natural hormone in the gut called GLP-1. This hormone sends signals to the brain that you're full, helping you eat less and regulate blood sugar.

People using this drug have been shown to lose about 15% of their body weight over a little more than a year (68 weeks).

The launch of Wegovy in India comes just before its patent for semaglutide expires next year. After that, several Indian pharmaceutical companies are expected to introduce cheaper generic versions, which could make the drug more affordable for many.

Obesity is now recognised as a major cause of serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disorders, and even some types of cancer.

Originally set for a 2026 release, Novo Nordisk advanced Wegovy’s Indian debut to 2025 in response to intense competition, especially from Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide), which entered the market in March 2025.

Both Wegovy and its rival drug Mounjaro (anti-obesity drug by Eli Lilly) are meant for people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of obver 30.