Why Semaglutide is an inflection point for India’s generics sector?
India's pharmaceutical industry is facing a critical juncture as it attempts to capitalize on the patent expiry of the diabetes and weight-loss drug Semaglutide. Over 40 Indian firms are planning to launch generic versions to compete in both domestic and international markets.
Why it matters
The ability of Indian generic manufacturers to successfully produce and export complex drugs like Semaglutide will determine the country's future growth in the global pharmaceutical sector.
More than a supply chain issue and missing the first mover status, Semaglutide episode has rather exposed systemic chinks and could prove costly for India’s pharmaceutical industry, which supplies about 20% of the world’s generic medicines by volume.
With the expiry of Novo Nordisk’s primary patent in India this March, Semaglutide — the active ingredient in the Danish company’s diabetes and anti-obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy — emerged as one of the most commercially significant pharmaceutical molecules in the world, potentially creating a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for the Indian drug-making industry, which is the world’s third largest by volume and 11th largest by value.
Reflecting significant interest from the domestic pharmaceuticals industry in developing their own generic version, more than 40 Indian firms have reportedly announced plans to launch their lower-cost products.
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