India’s weight-loss drug market hits Rs 606 crore; El Lilly's Mounjaro takes the lead

GLIP-1 weight loss

Sales of weight-loss drugs are experiencing explosive growth in India, with US drug manufacturer Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Danish firm Novo Nordisk's Wegovy leading the charts after their launch in the country early this year.

The GLP-1 market saw a 27 percent jump in July from the year-ago period, driven by aggressive promotions and expanding patient bases, said Sheetal Sapale, VP Commercial, Pharmarack, a market research firm that specialises in the Indian pharmaceutical market.

GLP-1 market value grew from Rs 476 crore in July 2024 to Rs 606 crore in July 2025.

GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone produced in the intestines that regulates blood sugar and appetite. GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of drugs that mimic the hormone and are primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

“Semaglutide and tirzepatide continue to drive the growth of this market,” Sapale said in her presentation reviewed by Moneycontrol. “We’re seeing a strong upward momentum in July, likely due to the injectable launches and stiff competition.”

Semaglutide, which includes Rybelsus, also sold by Novo Nordisk, and Wegovy, accounted for Rs 421 crore of the sales, while tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, has reached Rs 98 crore within four months of its launch.

Volume growth remains modest across IPM but GLP-1 drugs buck the trend with high-value, low-volume dynamics.

Mounjaro’s meteoric rise

Monthly sales value for the once-weekly injection Mounjaro jumped from Rs 3 crore in March to Rs 47 crore in July, a 15-fold increase in just five months.

Units sold surged from 12,000 in March to 157,000 in July, indicating rapid patient adoption.

Month-on-month, Mounjaro’s value nearly doubled, reflecting strong market traction.

“Monjoro seems to be doubling its value since launch,” Sapale said. “It’s gained a significant patient base in just six months.”

Wegovy boosts revival

Semaglutide’s value dipped post-Mounjaro’s launch but rebounded to Rs 38 crore in July. Wegovy, which is also a weekly injection and was launched recently, added Rs 7 crore in July, complementing Rybelsus, which contributed Rs 31 crore.

Rybelsus is an oral form of semaglutide and was launched in India in January 2022.

Units sold for semaglutide stabilised at 120,000 in July, up from 107,000 in June.

“Though Wegovy has a strong prescriber base due to Rybelsus, substantial promotion is needed to match Mounjaro’s patient reach,” Sapale said.

She cautioned that once branded generics enter the fray next year on the expiry of the semaglutide patent in March, the competitive landscape would shift from value to volume.

“The game will be completely on volumes. Achieving this level of value may become challenging,” she said.

India has one the highest rates of diabetes in the world. There are estimated 77 million people above the age of 18 suffering from diabetes type 2 and nearly 25 million are prediabetics, or at a higher risk of developing the disease in future, the WHO says.