Emcure Pharmaceuticals last week launched Poviztra, a second brand of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide injection for weight management, across India. With the launch, Emcure becomes the first Indian company to exclusively distribute and commercialise Poviztra in the country.
The drug will be priced starting at Rs 8,790 per month for four weekly doses, around 15–20 per cent lower than Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Novo Nordisk had cut Wegovy prices by 37 per cent about two months ago.
Novo will be manufacturing Poviztra, while Emcure will be distributing and commercialising the drug and leveraging its pan-India reach,” Satish Mehta, CEO and managing director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, said.
According to Mehta, Poviztra will be rolled out across tier I, II and III cities, where demand for advanced therapies such as semaglutide exists along with the capacity to pay. “Thanks to social media and all the publicity, awareness has reached every nook and corner of the country,” he said, adding that Emcure has a wide distribution network and broad doctor coverage.
The current market penetration of semaglutide in India stands at just 0.2–0.3 per cent, Mehta said, though the category is estimated to grow into a ₹2,200-crore brand. Emcure plans to deploy a dedicated field force of around 1,000 people to expand coverage for Poviztra.
Vik Thapar, President – Corporate Development, Strategy and Finance at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, said the company considered deploying the molecule on its own but found the exclusive distribution partnership more lucrative. He was confident that customers would prefer to opt for a brand and pay a higher premium for it. The proposed entry of generics would not affect the brand, Thapar said.
The semaglutide patents are set to expire in March 2026 for India, which will open the door for generics and the entry of more players into this segment.
Mehta said India has nearly 254 million people living with generalised obesity and another 351 million with abdominal obesity. “The introduction of Poviztra was a step toward expanding equitable access,” he said, noting that India is facing a significant obesity crisis.
Poviztra will be available in a once-weekly pen device and will be offered in five strengths — 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg and a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg. The pen device is designed for ease of administration and precise dosing.
The drug is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or greater, or 27 kg/m² or greater with at least one weight-related comorbidity such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia or adverse cardiovascular events.
