Bangladesh races ahead on obesity drug exports

Indian drugmakers such as Dr. Reddy’s and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries are already playing catch-up with Bangladesh, even as they prepare to enter the global market for generic semaglutide—a blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug—following approval from the Delhi High Court.

- Jessica Jani & T. Surendar

Seven cos make and sell the drug in Bangladesh.

(REUTER)

Leveraging the country’s ‘least-developed country’ (LDC) status under World Trade Organization rules, Bangladeshi manufacturers have been producing and exporting low-cost copies of semaglutide for more than two years.