India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is preparing to introduce a significantly lower-priced generic version of blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, currently sold by Novo Nordisk, with a potential discount of up to 60 per cent compared to the branded product.
Speaking to Reuters at the BioAsia conference in Hyderabad, Co-Chairman and Managing Director G V Prasad said pricing the generic at 50-60 per cent below the innovator drug would be commercially viable. He described such a discount as “very comfortable” relative to the original product.
At present, Wegovy is priced in India between ₹10,850 per month for the 0.25 mg dose and ₹16,400 for the 2.4 mg dose. With the semaglutide patent set to expire in March, multiple generic drugmakers are expected to enter the Indian market, intensifying competition in what analysts estimate could grow into a $150 billion global obesity drug market by the end of the decade.
While the company has not disclosed an exact price point for its generic version, it confirmed that a discount within the 50-60 per cent range is feasible. Dr Reddy’s plans to partner with local distributors for the rollout and has indicated it has sufficient production capacity to meet expected demand. The company aims to sell 12 million injectable semaglutide pens in the first year of launch.
Earlier this year, Dr Reddy’s received approval from India’s drug regulator to manufacture and sell a generic version of Ozempic, another semaglutide-based product from Novo Nordisk, and is currently awaiting approval for its generic Wegovy.
Beyond obesity therapies, the company is also seeking regulatory clearance in the United States for a biosimilar of cancer therapy Rituxan, marketed by Genentech and Biogen. However, Prasad clarified that there are no immediate plans to expand the company’s U.S. manufacturing footprint.
