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In March this year, U.S. pharma giant Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:LLY) announced the launch of its popular weight loss drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in India, which is expected to have the second-largest population of overweight or obese people by 2050.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there are 101 million people with diabetes in India. Of these, at least 40 million are on medication.

According to a Reuters survey, the launch of Mounjaro in India has sparked a surge in patient interest, with some doctors receiving hundreds of calls about the drug. The survey included 18 doctors, patients, and weight-loss clinic operators.

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“Since Mounjaro came out, we’ve seen a huge jump in customer interest,” said Suryansh Kumar, founder of Elevate Now, a weight management company, to Reuters.

Reuters cited his social media post that Elevate Now received over 200 calls in just one week about the drug.

Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru has reported a more than 20% rise in patient inquiries about weight-loss medications, according to endocrinologist Abhijit Bhograj.

The growing interest is prompting some doctors to advise patients to learn more about these drugs before rushing to get them.

A Hyderabad-based bariatric surgeon got over 100 calls in just two days after announcing the availability of Mounjaro.

Reuters notes that Indian patients no longer need to depend on the black market for weight-loss drugs now that the treatment is available locally.

Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala, director of surgery at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, told Reuters that switching to Eli Lilly’s approved drug could cost patients less than half of what they were paying on the black market.

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Earlier this month, two sources told Reuters that Novo Nordisk A/S’ (NYSE:NVO) is trying to move up the launch of Wegovy in India to better compete with Lilly.

Lakdawala also said Eli Lilly will have an early lead over Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Wegovy contains semaglutide, the same ingredient as its diabetes drug Ozempic—a medication often used off-label for weight loss.

Lakdawala told Reuters that many patients using Ozempic have now switched to Mounjaro because it’s easier to get in India.

Novo may also have to price Wegovy more competitively in India. Mounjaro, a once-weekly injection approved by India’s drug regulator, is priced at 4,375 Indian rupees ($50.86) for a 5 mg vial and 3,500 rupees for a 2.5 mg vial, its lowest dose, the company told Reuters.

A patient in India may have to spend about $200 a month when taking a weekly dose of 5 mg, subject to doctor’s prescription.

Lilly has an early lead in India with Mounjaro, but that advantage may be short-lived. In 2026, the patent for semaglutide will expire in India, opening the door for competition. Major generic drugmakers like Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, Lupin, Natco Pharma, Mankind Pharma, and Biocon are preparing to launch lower-cost versions of Ozempic. At the same time, Sun Pharmaceutical is also developing its GLP-1 treatment.

Vishal Manchanda, SVP of institutional research at Systematix Group, told Livemint that even if 0.5% of 40 million use Mounjaro, it would fetch sales of $1.5 billion for Eli Lilly every year.

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This article Eli Lilly's Mounjaro Launch Triggers Weight-Loss Drug Craze In India, Novo Nordisk Seeks To Move Up Wegovy Launch originally appeared on Benzinga.com