Eli Lilly launches blockbuster anti-obesity drug Mounjaro in India. Price here

US pharma major Eli Lilly on Thursday launched the much-awaited diabetes and obesity management drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in India, priced at ₹3,500 for a 2.5 mg vial and ₹4,375 for a 5 mg vial.

The drug, usually taken once a week, would then cost between ₹14,000 and ₹17,500 per month, depending on the dosage recommended by the doctor. The average monthly price of Mounjaro in the US is around $1,000–$1,200 (approximately ₹86,000–1 lakh).

Lilly launched the drug in a single-dose vial following marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). “It is a first-of-its-kind treatment for obesity, overweight, and type 2 diabetes that activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors,” it said. “This India-specific pricing reflects Lilly’s commitment to expanding access to innovative treatments in the country,” it added.

The demand for GLP-1 class drugs to manage diabetes and obesity has surged, creating a market worth hundreds of billions of dollars. A key drug in this class, semaglutide, is set to go off-patent in March next year, and several Indian players, including Mankind Pharma, Alkem Labs, and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, are in the fray to launch their generic versions.

The demand is high due to the significant weight-loss benefits associated with this class of drugs.

Adults taking Mounjaro with diet and exercise in a controlled clinical trial lost on average 21.8 kg at the highest dose (15 mg) and 15.4 kg at the lowest dose (5 mg) over 72 weeks.

“The dual burden of obesity and type 2 diabetes is rapidly emerging as a major public health challenge in India. Lilly is committed to collaborating with the government and industry to promote awareness and improve the prevention and management of these diseases,” said Winselow Tucker, president and general manager, Lilly India.

Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide tablet, Rybelsus, launched in India in January 2022, has already captured nearly 65 per cent of the anti-obesity drug market, which includes other weight-loss medications such as dulaglutide, orlistat, and liraglutide. The market for anti-obesity drugs in India has seen exponential growth, swelling from ₹137 crore in November 2020 to ₹535 crore in November 2024, according to market research firm Pharmatrac. “The launch of semaglutide in 2022 has been a game changer,” said Sheetal Sapale, vice-president, commercial, Pharmarack. “The market has nearly quadrupled in value over the past five years.” She said this surge may not be solely due to an increase in obesity cases; it also signals a greater willingness to seek medical solutions. Novo Nordisk has not yet launched the injectable form in India but is expected to do so by 2026.

India has about 101 million people living with diabetes, and nearly half of these adult patients are being inadequately treated with suboptimal glycaemic control. Obesity, a chronic relapsing disease and a major risk factor for diabetes, is linked to over 200 health complications, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, coronary heart disease, and obstructive sleep apnoea. As of 2023, adult obesity prevalence in India stood at around 6.5 per cent, affecting nearly 100 million people.

“Obesity and diabetes are recognised as serious conditions linked to various life-limiting health complications, making effective and sustained treatment critical. Mounjaro may offer a new approach to metabolic health management, providing healthcare providers with an innovative option to treat these diseases,” said Dr Manish Mistry, senior medical director, Lilly India.

Mounjaro, a once-weekly, prescription-based medicine, is a single molecule that selectively binds to and activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which are natural incretin hormones. In a glucose-dependent manner, Mounjaro improves first-phase and second-phase insulin secretion and reduces glucagon levels; it also improves insulin sensitivity and delays gastric emptying. GIP and GLP-1 receptors are both expressed in important areas of the brain that regulate appetite. Mounjaro reduces food intake, body weight, and decreases fat mass by regulating appetite; moreover, Mounjaro has been demonstrated to regulate lipid utilisation, Lilly claimed.