Rewrites to add new information throughout
By Rishika Sadam and Kashish Tandon
Jan 23 (Reuters) - Indian drugmakers Sun Pharmaceutical Industries SUN.NS, Zydus Lifesciences ZYDU.NS and Alkem Laboratories ALKE.NS have received approval from India's regulator to manufacture and sell generic versions of blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
Data on the regulator's website show Zydus Lifesciences ZYDU.NS and Alkem Laboratories ALKE.NS received approval last week to manufacture and sell generic semaglutide for weight-loss and diabetes treatment, intensifying competition in the obesity-drug race in the world's most populous nation.
The companies, which are yet to announce the approval, did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment.
Sun Pharma, which is India's largest drugmaker by revenue, on Friday announced that it had been granted approval and would be launching generics under brand names Noveltreat for obesity and Sematrinity for diabetes.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy and its diabetes drug Ozempic, is set for patent expiry in March 2026.
The upcoming patent expiry for semaglutide opens the door for Indian generic drugmakers to enter the weight-loss market with cheaper versions of both Wegovy and Ozempic at steep discounts.
Last year, U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly LLY.N launched Mounjaro in India, while Novo introduced Wegovy and Ozempic. Sales of the innovator drugs doubled shortly after launch.
The global weight-loss drug market is projected to reach $150 billion by the end of the decade.
Ozempic, though mainly approved for type 2 diabetes, is also used off-label for weight loss due to its appetite-suppressing effects.
Earlier this week, Dr Reddy's Laboratories REDY.NS said it had obtained approval to sell the generic version of Ozempic.
"The generic players will come in with lower prices and expand the number of people they can reach out to given their aggressive marketing strategy," said Vishal Manchanda, an analyst with Systematix Institutional Equities, adding that there are at least a dozen other generic companies awaiting approvals.
(Reporting by Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad and Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Tasim Zahid)
((rishika.sadam@thomsonreuters.com))