A sharp price reduction of its weight-loss drug has led to a 70% jump in the sales volume of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk’s flagship product Wegovy in April, as per healthcare research firm Pharmarack. Last month, Wegovy sold 17,000 units, up from 10,000 units a month ago. The combined sales of four innovator semaglutide injectible brands – Wegovy, Ozempic, Poviztra, Extensior – delivered nearly 40% volume growth in April (over March), the data showed.
Price Wars
Following the entry of cheaper generic versions of semaglutide in the domestic market, Novo reduced the price of the starting dose of Ozempic by 36%, while that of the starting dose of Wegovy by 48%.
Despite the rise in sales volume, the turnover for innovator semaglutide brands slipped from Rs 46 crore in March to Rs 44 crore in April. Currently, Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus are sold directly by Novo, the company has also partnered with Emcure and Abbott for brands like Poviztra and Extensior, respectively. Ozempic is GLP-1 drug for people with type-2 diabetes; Wegovy delivers sustainable weight-loss in people living with overweight or obesity. Both drugs contain semaglutide, and work by regulating appetite and blood sugar.
Generic Revolution
Fuelled by the launch of cheaper generic versions of semaglutide, the GLP-1 market in India has more than tripled in the past one year from Rs 545 crore in April 2025 to Rs 1,736 crore in April 2026. In the generics segment, Torrent Pharma has taken a lead with controlling almost 38% market share in the overall semaglutide generics segment (oral and injectibles) and 28% market share in the injectables semaglutide generics segment. Torrent is the only drugmaker offering generic semaglutide in the oral form (Semalix & Sembolic) in India.
Pharmarack data highlighted that the sales of generic semaglutide have jumped 238% in April as compared to March with companies like Torrent, Zydus and Lupin capturing a larger share of the market.
Shortly after the launch of generic semaglutide drugs, the market share of rival drug tirzepatide took a hit with monthly sales of originator Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide brand Mounjaro dropped 21% in March. However, the April data showed that Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Yurpeak (Lilly-Cipla collaboration brand) have recorded a modest 6% growth in value terms in April as compared to the March sales.
“Broadly, the innovators in both the semaglutide and tirzepatide segments have managed to retain their position well despite the generic onslaught. Steady growth of innovators also indicates stickiness of a class of doctors and patients to originators,” said Sheetal Sapale, vice president (commercial) at Pharmarack.
Pharmarack report said that while semaglutide and tirzepatide injections (launched in 2025) propelled the growth of the GLP-1 segment, generics have expanded the market itself. The key aspects driving the market growth include concept acceptance, wider noise levels, user friendliness of injectables form and price reductions to increase affordability and access.