Delhi HC reserves order on Novo’s plea against Dr Reddy’s semaglutide exports
The division bench of the Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk’s appeal against a single judge order allowing Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to manufacture semaglutide in India and export it to countries where the blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drug is not under patent protection.
A bench comprising Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla heard arguments from both the sides.
Semaglutide is used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. It works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to control blood sugar, suppress appetite and promote weight loss.
Novo Nordisk markets it as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight management. The drug is now among the world’s most valuable and most controversial drugs, as Indian companies prepare to enter the market with generic versions once Novo’s patent expires.
The appeal challenges the December 2, 2025 decision of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, which held that prima facie semaglutide is not clearly different from prior inventions covered by a broad “breed” patent.
The sole judge ruled that Novo, Dr. It ruled that Reddy’s had failed to make a strong case for granting an injunction to prevent it from exporting the drug to countries where the patent does not exist.
This decision allowed Dr Reddy’s to continue manufacturing and exporting semaglutide to off-patent territories and restrict domestic sales until the patent expires in March 2026.
The same exemption was extended to Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on December 10, 2025, allowing the company to export semaglutide to countries without patent protection while blocking sales in India.
Justice Arora’s findings tipped the balance in favor of Indian manufacturers, especially on exports.
Novo has now challenged these decisions before the division bench, arguing that the single judge erred in deciding that semaglutide lacked novelty. During the hearing, Novo said the previous patent on which its generic companies relied only covered a broad class of GLP-1 molecules and did not specifically disclose or teach semaglutide, which it claimed had a unique chemical structure and long-acting properties.
Novo also argued that mere inclusion in a large family of chemicals does not mean that a drug has already been invented, and that the court relied on hindsight to reach this conclusion. It was stated that allowing exports during the validity period of the patent would cause serious and irreparable damage to global trade and weaken patent rights.
Questions sent to Novo Nordisk and Dr Reddy’s were not answered by the time of publication.
The decision of the department panel is expected to be important for the pharmaceutical industry. This will not only affect Dr Reddy’s and Sun Pharma but also other companies such as Natco, which is preparing to launch generic versions of semaglutide when Novo’s Indian patent expires in 2026.
While most Indian players are still awaiting regulatory approvals, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Alkem Laboratories are among those that have received permission from the drug regulator to market semaglutide.
The dispute comes at a time when India’s market for diabetes and weight-loss drugs is expanding rapidly. GLP-1 segment has grown, according to Pharmarack ₹More than 186 crore by November 2022 ₹1,000 crore in November 2025. Eli Lilly’s tirzepatid (Mounjaro) currently dominates the category, while Novo’s Wegovy has gained market share following a recent price cut.
Novo Nordisk also recently launched its blockbuster brand Ozempic in India for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is looking to maximize its presence in the market without losing its semaglutide patent exclusivity.
The division panel is expected to announce its decision on the case before Novo’s semaglutide patent expires on March 20, 2026.
