---
title: "Effective oversight: Safety crucial for success of weight-loss drugs"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/280348983.md"
description: "Indian pharmaceutical companies are preparing to launch generic versions of semaglutide, following the expiration of Novo Nordisk's patent. Major firms like Cipla and Sun Pharma are expected to reduce prices by 50-70%. With rising obesity and diabetes rates in India, the market for these drugs is projected to grow significantly, from $16 million in 2021 to $100 million by 2025. However, concerns about drug quality and safety persist, especially given past scandals and the risk of counterfeiting. Proper medical supervision is crucial for effective use of these weight-loss drugs."
datetime: "2026-03-24T08:38:05.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/280348983.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/280348983.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/280348983.md)
---

# Effective oversight: Safety crucial for success of weight-loss drugs

Indian pharmaceutical companies over the past year have ramped up manufacturing capabilities in anticipation of March 20, when the patent on semaglutide, the molecule behind Danish pharma major Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, expired. Building on India’s capabilities as a producer of cost-effective generic drugs, domestically produced generic injectable and oral formulations of semaglutide are expected to hit the market soon. Generics from drug majors Cipla, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Biocon, Natco, Zydus, and Mankind Pharma could cause these drug prices to plummet 50-70 per cent. Novo Nordisk’s patents in Europe and the United States (US), India’s biggest export markets for generics, will expire only in 2031, implying intense competition in the domestic market until then. This alone offers substantial gains for branded generics, given India’s deteriorating health parameters. According to the National Family Health Survey 2019-21, 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men are overweight. This apart, some 77 million Indians suffer from Type 2 diabetes. Both are considered “lifestyle” diseases, the product of carb- and oil-heavy diets and inadequate exercise. Both diseases offer domestic manufacturers of generics large addressable markets. The market has already grown rapidly — from $16 million in 2021 to $100 million in 2025. It is expected to grow eightfold by 2030.

### Related Stocks

- [600110.CN](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/600110.CN.md)
- [NVO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVO.US.md)

## Related News & Research

- [CDSCO asks states, UTs to monitor surrogate promotion for GLP-1 drugs](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286925029.md)
- [Wegovy Liver Data Broadens Semaglutide Story For Novo Nordisk Investors](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286980981.md)
- [Key facts: Novo Nordisk early −21.6% 64w; Rexall delivery Canada](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286343869.md)
- [Lupin bets big on India's GLP-1 market & respiratory drugs](https://longbridge.com/en/news/287021542.md)
- [Trump purchased Eli Lilly stock as policies favored its drugs](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286791021.md)