Delhi High Court bars Sun Pharma from selling its semaglutide drug in India until Novo’s patent expires
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday barred Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd from selling or launching the generic version of semaglutide in India until Danish innovator Novo Nordisk’s patent expires in March 2026.
But the court allowed Sun Pharma to manufacture semaglutide and export it to off-patent countries, ruling out a similar dispute with Drs earlier this month. It granted Sun the same exemption it had given to Reddy’s Laboratories.
A bench comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed Sun Pharma to submit an undertaking within two weeks confirming that it will not sell semaglutide in India.
The court also called on Sun Pharma and asked for a response to Novo’s defense. The court stated that the same temporary arrangement would continue until that date and the case was postponed to February 21.
The decision was made by Novo’s Dr. It reflects the court’s decision on December 2 in his case against Reddy’s Laboratories; here, the judge denied Novo’s request for a comprehensive injunction, but Dr. It allowed Reddy’s to continue exporting semaglutide until the patent expired, restricting domestic sales.
In this case, the court held that Novo had not shown a strong prima facie case for interim relief and that any monetary losses could be recovered later if the innovator was successful at trial. The court also ruled that Dr. It also noted Reddy’s commitment not to sell the drug in India and directed him to disclose production and export data since April 2025. Novo’s lawyer said the company plans to appeal the decision before a division panel next week.
Wednesday’s developments come the day after Novo Nordisk took Sun Pharma to court seeking an emergency order to block the launch of Sun’s generic semaglutide product within 24 hours. With its weight-loss drug inches away from losing patent privilege in India, Novo has intensified its legal campaign against Indian companies preparing to enter the rapidly expanding market for GLP-1 agonists.
big market
The race for weight loss drugs is intensifying in India as innovators gain strength. Among them are Sun Pharma, Dr. Several domestic drugmakers, including Reddy’s and Natco Pharma, are preparing to launch generic semaglutide once its patent expires in March 2026. Others, such as Cipla and Emcure Pharma, have signed 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). Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, it was later approved for the treatment of obesity, and clinical studies showed 15-23% weight loss. Wegovy was launched in India in June at a monthly cost. ₹17,345– ₹26,050, then down 37% ₹10,850 amid increased competition.
India’s market for GLP-1 agonists has grown rapidly. ₹186 crore in November 2022 ₹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 ₹100 crore in monthly sales in October.
But Novo’s price cut last month boosted its sales and helped it gain a 5% market share in absolute doses in November alone. As of November 2025, Lilly’s Mounnaro held 86% of the market share in doses, while Wegovy held the rest.
