Emcure taps into celebrities for its weight loss drug, as marketing playbooks change
Emcure’s approach amounts to a changing marketing playbook for drugmakers when it comes to GLP-1s that extends beyond doctors, similar to the approach of innovators and healthcare companies in western markets. As the generic market opens next month, experts expect others to use similar strategies to gain ground in a fiercely competitive market.
“We expect the majority of usage to occur through a pool of customers in terms of going to the doctor and talking to them,” said Samit Mehta, Emcure’s chief operating officer. Mint in an interview.
“In this context [we are] Mehta, getting the education out there, using influencers who have similar issues, etc. ” he said.
Emcure launched a campaign called Winning Against Obesity in December and partnered with celebrities like MS Dhoni and Neha Dhupia as well as social media influencers-doctors like Dr Tanaya Narendra (dr Cuterus on Instagram) to raise awareness about obesity.
Mehta added that the idea is to create a robust patient support system with nutritional counseling and usage guidance, as well as a helpline.
“What is very important for us are the market-shaping activities that take place in terms of education of both the medical community and the medical community. [consumers]…there is already a lot of consumer awareness for this product,” said Vikas Thapar, head of corporate development, strategy and finance.
Doctors and drugmakers have warned about the spread of misinformation about semaglutide on social media and are trying to reframe the conversation.
front of package
“There’s all kinds of misinformation or fear-mongering going on on social media platforms, so it’s more about educating the general population and doctors about the benefits and safety of the product,” Thapar added.
Emcure is also leveraging its strong presence in cardiology to reach more doctors in this segment, following its partnership with Sanofi for major cardiac brands.
Poviztra is another brand name from Wegovy that is indicated for weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction.
Emcure has an advantage in the Indian market, which will soon be flooded with cheaper generic drugs because semaglutide will lose patent exclusivity in March.
Others, such as Dr Reddy’s and Sun Pharma, have already received regulatory approval and have indicated day one launches.
Poviztra is a once-weekly injection of semaglutide that comes as a pen device in five strengths: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg, and a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg. Products are competitively priced starting at rough prices. ₹2,200 per week or ₹8,790 per month and increases with the strength of the dosage.
Thapar said the launch of generics will only increase awareness and access, and Emcure will continue to price its brand competitively.
Experts believe that the huge popularity of weight loss drugs and their perception as lifestyle drugs will reshape the marketing landscape for drug manufacturers.
“The size of the market with GLP-1s is so large that it goes beyond diabetes. It has opened up a new market because the indicator is obesity. Generic players have realized that this is not just ordinary marketing,” said Sujay Shetty, global healthcare consulting leader at PwC. MintHe added that the market growth potential for GLP-1s is huge, given that the drug is also being evaluated for various other healthcare indications.
“This is at the intersection of the pharmaceutical and consumer markets and is leading to the consumerization of medicine,” he said.
Risks of lifestyle perception
But doctors warn against celebrity endorsements, which so far fall directly under the purview of OTC drugs in India. Mumbai-based diabetes specialist Dr. “While it is gaining more attention, it trivializes the science… patients may believe it is just a cosmetic way to lose weight, but it is an amazing molecule with benefits far beyond cosmetic use,” said Rajiv Kovil.
Doctors also warned against misuse of the drug for purely cosmetic purposes.
Emcure, which was listed on the stock exchanges in July 2024, announced its third-quarter financial results on Wednesday. Posted profit after tax ₹231 crore in 3QFY26, up 48.2% YoY. Revenue increased 20.4% YoY ₹2,363 crore.
Growth was driven by strong performance in both domestic and international businesses.
In its statement, the company stated that its domestic business grew by 15.4%, led by strong performance in all core therapies, especially chronic segments such as cardio/diabetic, and helped by new initiatives.
Meanwhile, international trade grew 24.5%, with all geographies reporting double-digit growth.
