Generic Semaglutide Therapy Cost in India May Drop to Rs 500 a Month: Report
New Delhi: Prices of generic semaglutide, the popular weight-loss and anti-diabetes drug, are expected to decline sharply in India over the next six to eight months as more pharmaceutical companies enter the market and raw material costs continue to fall, according to a recent media report in The Economic Times.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient used in Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster brands Ozempic and Wegovy, has witnessed rising generic competition in India after the expiry of the company’s patent earlier this year. Industry experts said the increasing entry of smaller pharmaceutical brands could push prices down by more than half in the coming months.
According to Saurabh Agarwal, director at Mumbai-based HAB Pharma, the second wave of semaglutide launches could bring the cost of a month’s therapy down to nearly Rs 500 for lower-dose variants. He noted that for patients earning around Rs 20,000 per month, even spending Rs 2,000 on treatment remains expensive, while lower pricing could significantly improve affordability and access.
The report stated that active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) prices for semaglutide have dropped drastically over the past two years. API costs, which were around USD 1,000 per gram two years ago, have reportedly fallen to nearly USD 125 per gram currently. Experts attributed the decline to increased manufacturing capacity, expansion of suppliers and rising competition in the market.
Industry executives stated that semaglutide API prices are expected to decline by another 20-30 per cent in the coming months as the drug has gone off-patent in several major markets, resulting in higher volumes for suppliers. Synthetic semaglutide prices have reportedly fallen to USD 90-160 per gram from nearly USD 900 per gram three years ago, while recombinant variants have dropped to nearly USD 50 per gram.
The Economic Times reports that Chinese manufacturers are rapidly expanding production capacity, which has significantly outpaced demand growth and accelerated price correction globally. Industry experts added that the current device ecosystem for semaglutide is dominated by a few established companies that continue to command premium pricing, though this is expected to change as more vendors move through the DCGI approval process.
Several Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Lifesciences, Lupin, Alkem Laboratories, Natco Pharma and Torrent Pharmaceuticals, have either launched or are preparing to introduce generic semaglutide products in India.
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