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Anti-obesity mkt heats up as Mounjaro's Kwikpen version gets India approval

The race to gain an upper hand in India's weight-loss market is heating up, with Eli Lilly receiving market authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to sell its weight-loss drug Mounjaro in a prefilled Kwikpen presentation. The drug, launched in March this year, was until now available only in vials rather than a ready-to-use pen. This announcement from the US-based pharmaceutical giant comes just a day after Danish firm Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy in the Indian market. India has the third-highest number of people living with overweight and obesity. According to the India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, the country has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million with abdominal obesity. The anti-obesity market, while limited, has seen a surge in India in recent times. According to data from market research firm Pharmarack, sales of Mounjaro rose 60 per cent in May—its second full month since launch. The drug recorded value sales worth ₹12.61 crore in May, compared to ₹7.88 crore in April. Wegovy is expected to be available in pharmacies across India by the end of June 2025. Mounjaro is currently available in just two dose strengths—2.5 mg and 5 mg—priced between ₹14,000 and ₹17,500 per month. In contrast, Wegovy will be available in five dose strengths—0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg—at a monthly price of ₹17,345–26,050. Like Mounjaro, Wegovy follows a gradual dose-escalation protocol to minimise gastrointestinal side effects and improve tolerability. 'Patients typically begin with a 0.25 mg dose of semaglutide once weekly for four weeks, followed by incremental increases every month until reaching the maintenance dose of 2.4 mg,' an official said. Officials at Lilly indicated that with the introduction of the Kwikpen version, Mounjaro will soon be available in six dose strengths (one more than Wegovy): 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg. 'With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals,' said Winselow Tucker, president and general manager at Lilly India. Commenting on the growing competition, Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, director for Minimal Access, GI and Bariatric Surgery at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said that the entry of global pharmaceutical giants such as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk into India's obesity market will likely drive innovation, improve accessibility, and potentially bring down costs over time. 'With both Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) showing promising clinical outcomes, the increased options could encourage broader adoption of medical interventions for obesity, which has long been under-treated in India,' he added.