Novo cuts Ozempic, Wegovy prices up to 48% as generics surge

Novo Nordisk cut prices for its diabetes and weight-loss injections Ozempic and Wegovy in India on Tuesday, marking a second reduction aimed at countering cheaper local generics.

The company lowered list prices by up to 36% for Ozempic and up to 48% for Wegovy, with the move following the March 20 expiry of India’s patent on semaglutide, the drugs’ active ingredient.

Key price changes

Both drugs’ lowest 0.25 mg weekly dose will now cost Rs 1,415 ($15.04), down from Rs 2,200 for Ozempic and Rs 2,712 for Wegovy.

The average reduction across all doses is 23.8% for Ozempic and 27% for Wegovy.

Ozempic is available in India in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg dose strengths, while Wegovy has five dose options.

Why the cuts are happening

India’s market dynamics are shifting after semaglutide’s patent expired on March 20.

At least half a dozen Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Dr. Reddy’s, Zydus, and Sun Pharma, have launched multiple semaglutide brands that are, in some cases, up to 70% cheaper than Novo Nordisk’s products.

The latest reductions are designed to defend market share as these lower-priced alternatives roll out across the country.

Recent history and competitive backdrop

Last year, Novo Nordisk reduced Wegovy’s price in India for the first time by up to 37% from its launch price, anticipating stronger competition from domestic manufacturers.

The company’s new cuts add to that strategy as more local entrants push prices lower across dose strengths.

Novo had launched Wegovy in India in June 2025, while Ozempic was launched in December 2025.

Novo Nordisk had previously priced Ozempic's 0.25 mg dose at Rs 8,800 per month.

The 0.5 mg version was earlier set at Rs 10,170 per month, while the 1 mg dose was priced at Rs 11,175 monthly.

India has the world’s second-largest population of type 2 diabetes patients after China, alongside rising obesity rates, positioning it as a key growth market for weight-loss and metabolic therapies.

Analysts estimate the segment could reach $150 billion in annual value by the end of the decade.

India’s expanding patient pool is making it a key growth market for global pharmaceutical companies targeting metabolic disorders.

Higher disposable incomes, evolving dietary patterns, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have driven a rise in diabetes and obesity rates.

This trend is fueling demand for advanced treatments, particularly injectable therapies with demonstrated clinical efficacy.

What it means for patients and the market

The lower entry price of 1,415 rupees for a weekly 0.25 mg dose may broaden access while intensifying price competition among brands.

With multiple new products now available, pricing and availability across dose strengths will likely remain focal points for patients, physicians, and payers in the coming months.

The price cuts underscore how the end of patent protection can quickly reshape a market as local drugmakers move to capitalize on demand for high-profile metabolic treatments.