Dr Reddy's gets court nod to make, export semaglutide

The development is expected to have significant implications for India’s generic drugmakers

- Krishna Yadav & Jessica Jani

The ban on Dr Reddy's selling semaglutide in India stays for now.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed domestic drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories to manufacture and export its generic version of semaglutide to countries where the patent-holder Novo Nordisk does not have patent protection.

Semaglutide is the compound behind the Danish drugmaker's blockbuster weight-loss drug Ozempic.

A single-judge bench of Justice Manmeet Singh Arora noted prima facie merit in Dr Reddy's plea challenging validity of Novo Nordisk’s patent, said two lawyers close to the development, who requested anonymity. “This is a significant development that forms the basis to not grant relief to Novo Nordisk,” one of the lawyers told Mint.

Dr Reddy's and Novo Nordisk declined to comment on the matter until release of the official order.

The final written order had not been released till press time, but the two lawyers confirmed Dr Reddy’s can manufacture semaglutide domestically and export to countries where Novo Nordisk does not hold patent protection.

It can’t export the drug until March 2026 to countries where the patent expires that month. In India, it expires in March, which means the firm can’t sell domestically till then.