Lilly to launch Mounjaro pen in India to compete with Novo's weight-loss drug Wegovy

Hyderabad: Eli Lilly said on Thursday that India's drug regulator had approved the launch of pre-filled injector pens of its blockbuster weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, giving it more options to compete with Novo Nordisk's recently launched Wegovy. Lilly started selling Mounjaro in India in late March for diabetes and obesity, and it was so far available only in 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials.

"With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized approach to treatment," Lilly India President Winselow Tucker said.

Mounjaro KwikPen, for once-weekly use, has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for six dose strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg, the company said in a statement.

The approval will help the company compete more effectively with Denmark's Novo Nordisk, which launched Wegovy in India on Tuesday in multiple dose strengths and an "easy-to-use" pen device.

The world's most populous country offers a big opportunity for weight-loss drugmakers, given a rapid rise in diabetes and obesity cases. India ranks among the top three countries globally for high obesity rates, according to a study published in the medical journal the Lancet.

Lilly did not give details on the pricing, although each pen will have four fixed doses of 0.6 ml.

The drugs belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel fuller for longer.

In the domestic market, the companies will face competition from generic drugmakers racing to make cheaper versions of Wegovy as its active ingredient, semaglutide, goes off patent next year in India.