Novo Nordisk moves Delhi HC to block Sun Pharma as weight loss drug patent expiry looms

As blockbuster weight loss drug semaglutide inches closer to losing its patent exclusivity in India, innovator Novo Nordisk is upping its ante against local firms wanting to launch copies of the drug.

The Danish drugmaker on Tuesday moved the Delhi high court, seeking to restrain domestic giant Sun Pharmaceutical Industries from launching its generic version of semaglutide, a widely prescribed drug for diabetes and weight loss.

The matter was heard briefly by a bench headed by justice Tejas Karia, who transferred the case to the bench already hearing Novo’s parallel litigation against Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Natco Pharma concerning the same patent.

The plea is expected to be taken up on Wednesday before justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who last week permitted Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to export semaglutide to non-patent countries.

During the hearing, counsel appearing for Novo asked Sun Pharma to give an undertaking that it would not launch the product within the next 24 hours.

“If they launch, then my prayer is gone. Let them make a statement,” the counsel submitted, arguing for urgent interim relief.

The latest move comes in the wake of an order passed on 2 December, in which Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora declined Novo’s plea for an interim injunction against Dr Reddy’s Labs and permitted the company to manufacture and export semaglutide to non-patent countries until March 2026, while restraining domestic sales until the patent expires.

The court held that Novo had not established a strong enough case to justify an interim ban and noted that any financial losses could be compensated later if the Danish company ultimately succeeds at trial.

The ruling observed that Novo only imports semaglutide into India and does not manufacture it locally, and therefore, Dr Reddy’s export operations could continue.

The court recorded Dr Reddy’s undertaking that it will not sell semaglutide in India and directed the company to place on record manufacturing and export details since April, when production began.

However, it clarified that Dr Reddy’s cannot sell the drug in India until March 2026, when the patent expires. All observations, the court added, are prima facie and will not influence the final outcome of the trial.

Novo’s counsel indicated that the company intends to challenge the ruling next week before a division bench.

Battle heats up

The race for weight-loss drugs is intensifying in India as innovators gain ground. Several domestic drugmakers, including Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s and Natco Pharma are gearing up to launch generic semaglutide once its patent expires in March 2026.

Others, such as Cipla and Emcure Pharma, have inked partnerships with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, respectively, to distribute their drugs domestically.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo’s GLP-1 drugs — Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Initially developed for type-2 diabetes, it later gained approval for obesity treatment, with clinical studies showing 15–23% weight loss. Wegovy was launched in India in June at a monthly cost of ₹17,345– ₹26,050, later cut by 37% to ₹10,850 amid growing competition.

India’s GLP-1 agonists market has grown rapidly - from ₹186 crore in November 2022 to ₹1,047 crore in November 2025, according to data from pharma intelligence platform Pharmarack. Eli Lilly’s drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro) has led the market since its launch in March 2025, crossing ₹100 crore sales in October.

However, Novo’s price cut last month has propelled its sales, helping it gain 5% market share in absolute doses in November alone. As of November 2025, Lilly’s Mounjaro held 86% of the market share in doses, while Wegovy held the rest.