NOVO EYES INDIA'S WAISTLINE

NOVO NORDISK IS MAKING A STRATEGIC PUSH INTO INDIA'S WEIGHT-LOSS MARKET TO SECURE ITS POSITION AHEAD OF COMPETITION FROM GENERICS AND RIVALS LIKE ELI LILLY'S MOUNJARO

- BY NEETU CHANDRA SHARMA

THE AROMA OF freshly fried jalebis, a treat in many Indi-an households, used to be a siren call for Rohan, a Bengaluru-based software engineer battling an expanding waistline. Like many in a city known for sedentary work and rich food, the 36-year-old's health markers are starting to raise an alarm. He is combing online to learn about drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy that are generating a buzz for their use in weight management.

Rohan's case depicts a new reality in India where rising obesity is providing an opportunity for global pharmaceutical giants. Take Novo Nordisk. The Danish company, known for semaglutide—which has made waves globally for its effectiveness in treating obesity and Type 2 diabetes—is looking to make India central to its growth plans. The reason is simple. The company, after years of steady growth, is showing signs of strain from increased competition and regulations in developed markets. It is undergoing a significant leadership reshuffle amid pressure from investors following a sharp decline in its share price over the past year. CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, who has led the company since 2017, recently announced his decision to step down, weeks after Executive Vice President Camilla Sylvest exited the firm.

India was not initially on Novo's radar. It had planned to launch Wegovy, its flagship weight-loss drug, in India around 2026. However, with growing global demand, competition from American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly's diabetes-cum-weight-loss drug Mounjaro and imminent launch of the generic versions of the drug, it is accelerating its India plans. The patent for semaglutide is expiring in 2026.

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