News

Patent Showdown Over Weight-Loss Blockbuster: Novo Nordisk vs. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories

Novo Nordisk and Dr. Reddy’s are locked in a legal battle over semaglutide, a blockbuster weight-loss drug, with the Delhi High Court temporarily banning its sale in India. As the country’s anti-obesity drug market rapidly expands, the case could shape the future of generics and market competition.

• By Pooja Chaturvedi Sah
• New Delhi
• Jun 02, 2025

News

In a high-stakes patent battle, the Delhi High Court on May 29 restrained Indian pharmaceutical major Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Bengaluru-based OneSource Specialty Pharma from selling or marketing the diabetes and anti-obesity drug semaglutide in India. Semaglutide, a globally renowned drug marketed by Danish giant Novo Nordisk under the brand names Ozempic (for diabetes) and Wegovy (for weight loss), has emerged at the centre of a fierce legal tussle.

Justice Amit Bansal issued the interim injunction while taking on record the undertaking by Dr. Reddy's and OneSource that they would not sell the drug in India until the next hearing on August 19, 2025. However, the court allowed both companies to continue manufacturing and exporting semaglutide to countries where Novo Nordisk does not hold a patent.

Novo Nordisk’s counsel, senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, strongly objected to this, arguing that even the export of a product infringing a patent constitutes infringement under Indian patent law. The court has said it will examine the matter in detail at the next hearing.

Background: Patent, Production, and Allegations

Dr. Reddy’s began manufacturing semaglutide in April 2025, based on a manufacturing licence obtained in December 2024. The company, however, admitted in court that it does not currently hold a license to sell the drug in India. Its stated plan is to export to markets where Novo Nordisk’s patent does not apply and eventually launch the drug in India post-2026, once the relevant patents expire.

Dr. Reddy’s also filed a petition to revoke Novo Nordisk’s Indian patent on semaglutide, challenging its validity. According to the petition, the patent lacks novelty, involves no inventive step, and was granted based on misrepresentation. The company alleges Novo Nordisk engaged in "evergreening"—extending monopoly rights through minor modifications. It claims the only change between the older and newer patents was the substitution of Alanine with Aib at the eighth position, which it called a standard modification.

Novo Nordisk originally filed for semaglutide’s Indian patent in 2006, which was granted in 2016 and expired in September 2024. A subsequent patent, granted in 2014, is set to expire in March 2026.

Export vs. Infringement: Legal Grey Zone

While Dr. Reddy’s and OneSource claim the right to export semaglutide to non-patent jurisdictions, Novo Nordisk insists such actions also amount to patent infringement under Section 48 of the Patents Act, 1970. Justice Bansal has taken note of both sides and reserved the issue for detailed hearing after the pleadings are complete.

Novo Nordisk has stated it is committed to protecting its patents in India, arguing that safeguarding intellectual property is critical to innovation and the development of new therapies.

Novo Nordisk’s India Plans and Capacity Challenges

Novo Nordisk plans to launch Wegovy in India in the coming weeks. However, its rollout has been delayed due to global demand overwhelming manufacturing capacity. The company’s CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen recently stated that despite looming patent expirations, Novo Nordisk will continue launching the product in key markets like India to drive volume growth.

India's Obesity Drug Market: An Overview 

According to PharmaTrac data, India’s anti-obesity drug market has grown over fourfold in four years, from ₹133 crore in March 2021 to ₹576 crore by March 2025. Semaglutide alone accounts for ₹397 crore, making it the dominant therapy in the sector, far ahead of competitors like liraglutide and dulaglutide.

Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus, the oral formulation of semaglutide, grew exponentially from ₹11 crore in March 2022 to ₹397 crore by March 2025, capturing nearly 69% market share. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a once-weekly injectable, is priced at ₹3,500 per dose and has seen quick uptake due to its dual efficacy in treating both diabetes and obesity.

The Indian anti-obesity drugs market stood at USD 80 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 190 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.9% (IMARC Group).

The most prominent drugs include:

Semaglutide (Novo Nordisk – Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus): The current market leader, semaglutide is available both orally (Rybelsus) and via injection (Ozempic/Wegovy). It commands the largest share of India’s obesity drug market.

Liraglutide (Novo Nordisk – Saxenda): An older GLP-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide is used for weight loss but has seen declining use with the advent of semaglutide.

Tirzepatide (Eli Lilly – Mounjaro/Zepbound): A dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, tirzepatide has gained traction due to its potent weight-loss results and pricing strategy in India (approx. ₹3,500 per weekly dose).

Orlistat (Various brands): A lipase inhibitor, Orlistat is available over the counter and was one of the first-generation weight-loss medications in India. Its market presence is now marginal.

Phentermine combinations (limited use in India): Appetite suppressants used elsewhere are limited in India due to regulatory restrictions.

These medications are supplemented by a growing number of nutraceuticals, meal-replacement solutions, and bariatric treatments. However, scientific drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide are expected to dominate the market due to clinical validation and outcomes data.

What Lies Ahead

With the next court hearing scheduled for August 19, the outcome of this legal face-off could reshape the future of the anti-obesity segment in India. If Novo Nordisk secures an extended injunction or wins the case, it may retain monopoly over semaglutide in India until 2026. If Dr. Reddy’s succeeds in revoking the patent, it could trigger a wave of generics in one of the fastest-growing segments of the Indian pharmaceutical market.

Until then, all eyes are on the Delhi High Court and the rapidly evolving landscape of obesity therapeutics in India.