After splash in 2025, weight-loss drugs poised to take off this year, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) entered the Indian market in 2025.
• These drugs quickly became top-selling pharmaceuticals in India due to patients' willingness to pay out-of-pocket for long-term metabolic treatment.
• A Lancet study in 2025 showed semaglutide reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events in obese individuals with heart disease.
• The primary patent on semaglutide expired in September 2024, paving the way for Indian manufacturers to produce generic versions.

Detailed Insights:

• Indian consumers are increasingly willing to pay for relatively expensive, long-term metabolic treatment for chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes.
• While long-term effects of GLP-1 drugs on weight loss are still being studied, cardiovascular benefits are becoming more evident, especially for those with coronary artery disease.
• Semaglutide has shown potential in reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, even independent of weight loss.
• Several Indian drugmakers like Dr. Reddy’s, Sun Pharma, and Cipla are developing semaglutide products, potentially launching in 2027, which could lead to price reductions and increased access.
• The US is redefining GLP-1 drugs as broad metabolic therapies, approving them for cardiovascular risk reduction, diabetic kidney disease, and fatty liver disease, while India currently limits approvals to diabetes and obesity.
• Newer metabolic drugs like Eli Lilly's orforglipron (oral GLP-1 pill) and Novo Nordisk’s Cagrisema (semaglutide with cagrilintide) show promise for greater weight loss and blood pressure reduction.

Key Concepts Involved:

• GLP-1 drugs: A class of medications that mimic the glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone to regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss.
• Semaglutide: A GLP-1 receptor agonist used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
• Tirzepatide: A dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.