Eli Lilly launches Mounjaro pen in India as obesity drug race heats up

Mumbai: Eli Lilly accelerated India’s struggle with Novo Nordisk in the rapidly growing obesity market, and started a pre -filled pen version of Mounjaro’s weight loss drug -breaking medication Mounjaro, which broke box office records at the same price as its injected vials. Kwikpen, which is in the strong aspects of six dosage, follows Mounjaro’s March launch in injected bottles, providing Lilly an early mobility advantage in India.

Mounjaro Kwikpen is a very dose, a single patient -use device, each pen contains four fixed doses given once a week. Dosage forces vary between 2.5 mg and 15 mg and monthly pricing La14,000 for a dose of 2.5 mg La27,500 for 15 mg dose, Lilly on Wednesday in a statement.

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“Mounjaro Kwikpen’s launch points to Type 2 diabetes and obesity, which offers a more appropriate approach to the drug application,” Lilly India President and General Manager Wintow Tucker in a statement. “We believe that this innovation will support health professionals to offer more personal and effective treatment plans, and help improve the results and advance the quality of care for people living with these serious diseases.”

The drug producer’s movement comes as a rival Novo Nordisk, who started weight loss as a injected pen in June 2025.

Lilly vs Novo: A war for market share

India has become an important battlefield for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, reflecting its global competition in anti -obesity drugs. Both companies are competing to capture a lucrative market before entering the generic.

Globally, Novo Nordisk’s obesity-oriented sales fell below 2-3 billion dollars in 2020 and reached approximately 10 billion dollars in 2024. In 2024, Wegovy sales reached $ 8 billion, while the other Semagluid product Özempic brought $ 17 billion. Mounjaro from Lilly recorded $ 11.5 billion in global sales in 2024, which increased by 124% compared to the previous year.

Mounjaro in India, LaAccording to Pharma Intelligence Platform Pharmarack, 100 Crore in sales until July 2025.

Novo Nordisk, who launched Oral Semaglutid brand Rybelsus in 2022, reported Over’s general Semagluid sales La421 Crore as of July 2025. After Mounjaro’s March launch, Rybelsus sales were hit, but Novo Nordisk is on the way to an injectable recovery. Wegovy since the launch in June recorded sales La10 Crore until the end of July.

Both Mounjaro (Tirzepathide) and Wegovy (Semaglidid) are the GLP-1 (Glucagon-like Peptit-1) receptor agonists, which mimic the hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite and shows type-2 diabetes and chronic range. Tirzepathide is also an agonist agonist, an ensulinotropic polypeptide due to glucose), which makes it the first and only double GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist.

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India’s weight loss market is expected to grow rapidly, and more than 254 million people live obesity and more than 100 million adults with diabetes. According to Nuvama Research, the market is estimated to be $ 25 billion in 2024 and can be doubled by 2033.

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The two companies face a narrow window to secure the market share before the general competitors enter.

Semagluid’s patent protection is expected to end in March 2026, and Dr. Redy’s, Sun Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences and Jepla are reported to prepare lower cost versions.

Mounjaro Kwikpen and Lilly aim to increase comfort for doctors and patients, while maintaining early attraction in India’s anti-bezity segment. Novo Nordisk is a banking leader for Wegovy on a pen -filled device and insulin market, and makes the next months critical for both players in a ready -made market for rapid growth.