Latest news with #WinselowTucker
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lilly to launch Mounjaro pen in India to compete with Novo's weight-loss drug Wegovy
By Rishika Sadam HYDERABAD (Reuters) -Eli Lilly said on Thursday that India's drug regulator had approved the launch of pre-filled injector pens of its blockbuster weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, giving it more options to compete with Novo Nordisk's recently launched Wegovy. Lilly started selling Mounjaro in India in late March for diabetes and obesity, and it was so far available only in 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials. "With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized approach to treatment," Lilly India President Winselow Tucker said. Mounjaro KwikPen, for once-weekly use, has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for six dose strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg, the company said in a statement. The approval will help the company compete more effectively with Denmark's Novo Nordisk, which launched Wegovy in India on Tuesday in multiple dose strengths and an "easy-to-use" pen device. The world's most populous country offers a big opportunity for weight-loss drugmakers, given a rapid rise in diabetes and obesity cases. India ranks among the top three countries globally for high obesity rates, according to a study published in the medical journal the Lancet. Lilly did not give details on the pricing, although each pen will have four fixed doses of 0.6 ml. The drugs belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel fuller for longer. In the domestic market, the companies will face competition from generic drugmakers racing to make cheaper versions of Wegovy as its active ingredient, semaglutide, goes off patent next year in India. ($1 = 85.8340 Indian rupees) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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Business Standard
26-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Anti-obesity mkt heats up as Mounjaro's Kwikpen version gets India approval
The race to gain an upper hand in India's weight-loss market is heating up, with Eli Lilly receiving market authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to sell its weight-loss drug Mounjaro in a prefilled Kwikpen presentation. The drug, launched in March this year, was until now available only in vials rather than a ready-to-use pen. This announcement from the US-based pharmaceutical giant comes just a day after Danish firm Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy in the Indian market. India has the third-highest number of people living with overweight and obesity. According to the India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, the country has 254 million people with generalised obesity and 351 million with abdominal obesity. The anti-obesity market, while limited, has seen a surge in India in recent times. According to data from market research firm Pharmarack, sales of Mounjaro rose 60 per cent in May—its second full month since launch. The drug recorded value sales worth ₹12.61 crore in May, compared to ₹7.88 crore in April. Wegovy is expected to be available in pharmacies across India by the end of June 2025. Mounjaro is currently available in just two dose strengths—2.5 mg and 5 mg—priced between ₹14,000 and ₹17,500 per month. In contrast, Wegovy will be available in five dose strengths—0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg—at a monthly price of ₹17,345–26,050. Like Mounjaro, Wegovy follows a gradual dose-escalation protocol to minimise gastrointestinal side effects and improve tolerability. 'Patients typically begin with a 0.25 mg dose of semaglutide once weekly for four weeks, followed by incremental increases every month until reaching the maintenance dose of 2.4 mg,' an official said. Officials at Lilly indicated that with the introduction of the Kwikpen version, Mounjaro will soon be available in six dose strengths (one more than Wegovy): 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg. 'With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals,' said Winselow Tucker, president and general manager at Lilly India. Commenting on the growing competition, Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, director for Minimal Access, GI and Bariatric Surgery at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said that the entry of global pharmaceutical giants such as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk into India's obesity market will likely drive innovation, improve accessibility, and potentially bring down costs over time. 'With both Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) showing promising clinical outcomes, the increased options could encourage broader adoption of medical interventions for obesity, which has long been under-treated in India,' he added.
Mint
26-06-2025
- Health
- Mint
Wegovy vs Mounjaro: Eli Lilly to launch full-dose pen device in India as obesity drug race heats up
Just months after introducing its weight-loss drug Mounjaro in India, US-based Eli Lilly is set to roll out a more convenient, pen-filled version—escalating its rivalry with Novo Nordisk in the country's nascent but high-potential obesity drug market. The US-based drugmaker announced on Thursday that it has received market authorization from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to launch the Mounjaro KwikPen, a multi-dose, single-patient-use prefilled pen designed for once-weekly administration. Until now, the drug was only available in injectable vials, in two dosage strengths. The full dosage range will soon be available in India, the company said. 'With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals,' Winselow Tucker, president and general manager, Lilly India, said in the release. A pen-device is much easier for self-administration and preferred by patients over vials, according healthcare providers. While Eli Lilly gained an early mover advantage with Mounjaro's March 2025 launch, Novo Nordisk is counting on its pen-device format and insulin market leadership to help it close the gap, its India head Vikrant Shrotriya told Mint earlier this week. Eli Lilly's Mounjaro has sold over 81,570 units in India, with cumulative sales of ₹ 23.94 crore by May 2025, according to pharma intelligence platform Pharmarack. Novo Nordisk, which launched its rival drug Wegovy in India this week, has been losing global market share to Lilly in the anti-obesity space and entered the Indian market later. Both drugmakers face a narrow window to tap into India's largely unmet demand for chronic weight-loss medication—before generics arrive. Novo Nordisk is expected to lose patent protection on semaglutide, the active compound in Wegovy, by March 2026. Leading Indian pharmaceutical companies including Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences, and Cipla are reportedly preparing to launch lower-cost versions. Mounjaro is currently priced at ₹ 14,000 monthly for a 2.5 mg vial and ₹ 17,500 monthly for the 5 mg version. The company has not yet disclosed pricing for the remaining dosage options. Wegovy, also a once-weekly injectable, is being introduced in five dose levels: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg. The first three are priced at ₹ 4,336 per dose or ₹ 17,345 monthly, while the 1.7 mg dose is priced at ₹ 24,280 and the 2.4 mg at ₹ 26,015 per month. The growing competition between Lilly and Novo underscores the scale of the opportunity: India is home to more than 254 million people living with obesity and over 100 million adults with diabetes. The Indian weight loss market was estimated to be $25 billion in 2024, and could double in size by 2033, according to Nuvama research. With lifestyle-related illnesses rising and awareness around medical weight management slowly increasing, both companies are racing to establish a strong foothold before prices crash and the market fragments.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Eli Lilly to launch Mounjaro KwikPen for type 2 diabetes in India
US pharmaceutical major Eli Lilly on Thursday announced plans to launch its blockbuster diabetes drug Mounjaro in KwikPen , a single patient use prefilled pen designed for once weekly administration in the Indian market, offering a convenient treatment option for adults with type 2 diabetes . The announcement comes two days after its rival Danish drugmarker Novo Nordisk , launched its weight loss drug Wegovy as a once a week injection in India. The company said that they have received approval from the drug regulatory authority however did not comment on the launch timeline. Lilly said each pen delivers four fixed doses of 0.6 mL and has been approved in six dose strengths including 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg, the company said in a statement. 'The approval of Mounjaro KwikPen marks a step forward in the care of people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity, offering a convenient way for patients to take their medication,' said Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Lilly India. Live Events 'With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro ( tirzepatide ) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals.' Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is the first and only dual GIP (glucose- dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight, with one weight-related comorbidity. Earlier in March the company had launched Mounjaro in 2.5 mg vial and 5 mg vial at Rs 3500 and Rs 4375 diabetes and nearly half of these adult patients are inadequately treated with suboptimal glycemic control. Mounjaro reduces body weight, and decreases fat mass by regulating appetite. Moreover, Mounjaro has been demonstrated to regulate lipid utilization. Over the past five years, the Indian market for weight loss drugs has grown over 30% CAGR to close to 550 crore, industry sources told ET. India has about 101 million people living with diabetes and nearly half of these in the adult patients category are being inadequately treated with suboptimal glycemic control. As of 2023, adult obesity prevalence in India stood at around 6.5%, affecting nearly 100 million people.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
India approves Eli Lilly's Mounjaro KwikPen for diabetes and obesity, offering a novel dual-action therapy
NEW DELHI: India's drug regulator has approved Eli Lilly and Company's diabetes and obesity drug Mounjaro in a KwikPen presentation, the pharmaceutical giant announced on Thursday. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has granted marketing authorisation for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in the KwikPen format in India. According to the company, it is a multi-dose, prescription-based, single-patient-use prefilled pen designed for once-weekly administration. Each pen delivers four fixed doses of 0.6 mL and has been approved in six dosage strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg. 'Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is the first and only dual GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27) with one weight-related comorbidity,' the company said in a statement. The announcement comes just days after Novo Nordisk revealed the launch of its weight-loss product Wegovy, which is yet to be made available in India. 'The approval of Mounjaro KwikPen marks a step forward in the care of people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity, offering a convenient way for patients to take their medication,' said Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Lilly India.
