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Semaglutide vs tirzepatide and the other GLP-1s: all the medicines sold in India compared

Every GLP‑1 medicine on sale in India side by side: the brands and what each is approved for, daily or weekly, pen or pill, trial results with side effects, and MRPs.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 18 Oct 202614 min read44 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked44 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 18 Oct 2026 · Next review due 18 Apr 2027 · How we write
The short answer

Four GLP‑1 medicines are sold in India: semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide, each under one or more brands. They differ in how often you take them, in form (pen, vial or tablet), in what they're approved for, in how much weight people lost in their trials, and in price. A doctor decides which, if any, fits you.

Key takeaways

  • In India, semaglutide (Wegovy, Poviztra, some generics) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Yurpeak) are approved for weight; liraglutide and dulaglutide brands are sold for type 2 diabetes.19,22,15,16,33,34
  • Liraglutide is a daily injection; semaglutide, tirzepatide and dulaglutide are weekly. Semaglutide also comes as a daily tablet, for type 2 diabetes only.2,1,3,6,24
  • Each medicine was tested in separate trials, so their results can't be lined up directly. The one head-to-head weight trial, SURMOUNT-5, found 20.2% average weight lost on tirzepatide against 13.7% on semaglutide.10
  • MRPs run from about ₹1,290 to ₹25,781 for a month, depending on the medicine, the brand and the dose. Most Indian health policies don't pay for medicines taken at home.31,36,41
On this page
  1. All the medicines at a glance
  2. Which medicines and brands are sold in India?
  3. Why are there so many?
  4. Why are some pills and some injections?
  5. Why does one medicine have two brands?
  6. How do the results compare?
  7. Which costs more?
  8. Which one? What a doctor weighs
  9. Questions people ask
  10. How we researched this
Before you go further
  • All of these are prescription-only medicines. A government statement on 1 Apr 2026 said only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe them.37 CDSCO expert-committee minutes attach a similar condition to some approvals (endocrinologist or internal-medicine specialist), but we found no rule covering every brand.38,39
  • All of them have serious risks as well as common side effects: Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  • The July 2026 recalls named select batches of three generic semaglutide brands: Obeda, Semalix and Usema.32
  • Trial results are group averages, not a promise for any one person. This page lists the most searched medicines in India first (Google Trends), which isn't a ranking, and doesn't say which suits you.

How do all the GLP-1 medicines compare at a glance? (most searched first)

Most searched first in India (Google Trends, last 3 months to 18 Oct 2026). Not a ranking: the order says nothing about how well they work or what they cost.

One row per medicine. A medicine is what works in your body; a brand is the name on the box.

Medicine and makerBrands in India, and what each is approved forHow it's takenAverage weight change in its main trialMost common side effectsMRP for about a month
SemaglutideNovo Nordisk; many Indian makers since March 2026 Ozempic: type 2 diabetes17
Wegovy: weight; also teens 12+ above 60 kg, and fatty liver with scarring (MASH)19,20,21
Rybelsus (tablet): type 2 diabetes24
Poviztra: weight (Novo's second brand, sold by Emcure)22
Generic brands: some type 2 diabetes only, some diabetes and weight27,28		 Once a week by pen (or vial, some generics); or a daily tablet on an empty stomach with up to 120 mL of water, then 30 minutes before food3,5,31 −14.9% of body weight on Wegovy 2.4 mg, against −2.4% on a dummy injection; 68 weeks, adults without diabetes (STEP 1)4,8 Nausea 44 in 100 (16 in 100 on a dummy injection); diarrhoea 30 (16); vomiting 24 (6); constipation 24 (11), at 2.4 mg4 Per 4 weekly doses: Ozempic ₹5,660 to ₹9,100; Wegovy ₹5,660 to ₹16,400; Poviztra ₹3,999 to ₹8,999; generic pens ₹1,800 to ₹8,000. Rybelsus, per 30 tablets: ₹8,916 to ₹9,510 at 3 mg (pharmacies differ), up to ₹10,884 at 14 mg19,22,28,29,30,36
TirzepatideEli Lilly Mounjaro: type 2 diabetes and weight15
Yurpeak (made by Lilly, sold by Cipla): type 2 diabetes and weight16
Zepbound isn't sold in India		 Once a week; KwikPen of 4 doses, or a single-dose vial6,36 −15.0% (5 mg) to −20.9% (15 mg) of body weight, against −3.1% on a dummy injection; 72 weeks, adults without diabetes (SURMOUNT-1)7,9 Nausea 28 in 100 (8 in 100 on a dummy injection); diarrhoea 23 (8); vomiting 13 (2); constipation 11 (5), at 15 mg7 Mounjaro ₹13,125 (2.5 mg) to ₹25,781 (15 mg) per 4 weekly doses; Yurpeak: no MRP published36,16
LiraglutideNovo Nordisk; Indian makers such as Glenmark Victoza: type 2 diabetes34
Lirafit and other Indian versions: type 2 diabetes35
Saxenda, the weight brand, isn't marketed in India		 Once a day; multi-dose pen2 −2.8 kg on Victoza 1.8 mg, against −1.5 kg on a dummy injection; 26 weeks, adults with type 2 diabetes (US label trial)2 Nausea 20 in 100 (5 in 100 on a dummy injection); diarrhoea 12 (4); vomiting 9 (2), at 1.8 mg2 Per 30 days: Victoza ₹4,991 (0.6 mg) to ₹14,974 (1.8 mg); Lirafit ₹2,086 to ₹6,25836
DulaglutideEli Lilly Trulicity: type 2 diabetes33 Once a week; single-dose pen1 −3.0 kg on 1.5 mg, against −1.4 kg on a dummy injection; 26 weeks, adults with type 2 diabetes (US label trial)1 Nausea 21 in 100 (5 in 100 on a dummy injection); vomiting 13 (2); diarrhoea 13 (7), at 1.5 mg1 ₹11,338 per 4 weekly doses, at 0.75 or 1.5 mg36

Rows most searched first in India (Google Trends), not ranked. MRP is the printed maximum retail price; pharmacies may charge less. Weekly medicines are priced per 4 doses, daily ones per 30 days. Trials with weight results in kg were in people with type 2 diabetes; trials in % of body weight were in people without diabetes, so the two kinds of figure can't be compared. Trial figures are from US labels and trial papers; we found no Indian pack insert online. Checked 18 October 2026.

Not sold in India yet: orforglipron. This daily GLP‑1 pill was approved in the US on 1 April 2026 as Foundayo.12 An Indian expert committee recommended approving it on 20 May 2026.13 On 2 October 2026, Lilly's chief executive was reported as saying an Indian launch could come "as early as 2027, subject to regulatory approval".14 More in which new weight-loss medicines are coming to India.

Which GLP-1 medicines and brands are sold in India?

Four medicines, under many brand names. Two brands of the same medicine contain the same thing, but can differ in dose, form and approved use.

Think of paracetamol: it's the medicine, and Crocin and Dolo 650 are brands of it. In the same way, semaglutide is the medicine inside Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus and Poviztra.19,22,24

SemaglutideOzempic · Wegovy · Rybelsus (tablet) · Poviztra · generic brands
TirzepatideMounjaro · Yurpeak
LiraglutideVictoza · Lirafit and other Indian versions
DulaglutideTrulicity

The full tree, with each brand's maker, form and approved use, is in Guide 2: which GLP‑1 medicines are sold in India. The generic semaglutide brands, maker by maker, are in our list of semaglutide generic brands.

Why are there so many GLP-1 medicines?

Different companies made them, and each generation changed something: how long a dose lasts, whether it comes as a tablet, or how many gut hormones it acts on.

All of them copy GLP‑1, a hormone your gut makes after eating. It helps release insulin when blood sugar is high, and slows how fast the stomach empties.3,6 Here is the order they arrived in, by the first US approval each label states:

  1. 2010Liraglutide (Victoza): once a day.2 India approved Victoza for type 2 diabetes in January 2010.34
  2. 2014Dulaglutide (Trulicity): once a week.1 Lilly launched it in India in 2016.33
  3. 2017Semaglutide: once a week as an injection, and later as a daily tablet (Rybelsus) that must be taken on an empty stomach.3,5 Rybelsus has been sold in India since 2022.25
  4. 2022Tirzepatide (Mounjaro): once a week, and it acts on two gut-hormone receptors, GIP and GLP‑1.6 GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) is a second hormone the gut releases after food. Mounjaro launched in India in March 2025.15
  5. 2026Orforglipron (Foundayo): a daily pill with no food or water rules, according to its maker. Not sold in India yet.12,13

Patents and copies. Novo Nordisk's main Indian patent on semaglutide expired on 20 March 2026, and generic semaglutide went on sale the next day from companies including Dr Reddy's, Zydus, Alkem, Sun Pharma and Glenmark.26,27 Indian versions of liraglutide came earlier: Glenmark launched Lirafit in January 2024.35 What the patent expiry changed is in what changed for Ozempic when semaglutide's patent expired; the older daily medicine is in liraglutide, Saxenda and Victoza in India. On tirzepatide, see is there a generic Mounjaro in India?

Why are some GLP-1s pills and some injections, and why weekly or daily?

Very little of a semaglutide tablet gets into the blood, and the tablet is taken every day at a much bigger dose, with a strict routine. How long each medicine lasts in the body goes with daily or weekly dosing.

Tablets. Rybelsus contains an absorption helper called SNAC, and semaglutide is absorbed mainly in the stomach.5 Even so, only about 0.4% to 1% of each tablet reaches the blood.5 The tablet doses are much bigger: 7 or 14 mg a day, against 0.25 to 1 mg a week for the Ozempic injection in India.5,18 The US label sets the routine:5

  • one tablet in the morning, on an empty stomach, swallowed whole;
  • with up to 120 mL (about half a glass) of plain water, nothing else;
  • then wait at least 30 minutes before food, drinks or other tablets.

Orforglipron is a different kind of medicine: its trial paper calls it a "small-molecule" pill.11 Lilly says it can be taken at any time of day, without food or water rules.12 It isn't sold in India yet. Every semaglutide tablet sold here is approved for type 2 diabetes only, as our post on semaglutide tablets in India explains.24,43

Daily or weekly. A medicine's half-life is the time it takes for half a dose to leave the blood. It decides how often you take it:

  • Semaglutide: about 1 week, so once a week as an injection.3
  • Tirzepatide: about 5 days, so once a week.6
  • Liraglutide: about 13 hours, so once a day.2
  • Dulaglutide: about 5 days, so once a week.1

A long half-life also means the medicine stays in your body for weeks after the last dose, which matters if you plan a pregnancy: GLP‑1 medicines, pregnancy and the pill.

Why does the same medicine have two brands?

Usually because each brand is approved for a different use and goes up to a different dose. Sometimes a second company sells the same medicine under its own name.

  • Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. In India, Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, in 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg; Wegovy is for weight and goes up to 2.4 mg a week.17,18,19,4 Using Ozempic only for weight is "off-label", meaning outside its approved use. More in Wegovy vs Ozempic.
  • Mounjaro and Zepbound are both tirzepatide from Eli Lilly. In the US, Zepbound is the weight brand.7 Zepbound isn't sold in India; here, tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro, approved for both type 2 diabetes and weight.15 See is Zepbound available in India?
  • Mounjaro and Yurpeak: Lilly makes Yurpeak and Cipla sells it. Cipla said the price would be the same as Mounjaro's.16
  • Wegovy and Poviztra: Emcure sells Poviztra in India as a second brand of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide.22
  • Victoza and Saxenda are both liraglutide: Victoza up to 1.8 mg a day for diabetes, Saxenda 3 mg for weight.2 We found no Saxenda approval or launch in India; our liraglutide post has the detail.

The tirzepatide pair is compared in Mounjaro vs Ozempic and Wegovy vs Mounjaro. Doses don't swap milligram for milligram between medicines: semaglutide vs tirzepatide dose chart.

How do the results compare?

Each medicine's main trial was run separately, in different people, for different lengths of time. So the numbers can't be compared directly, except in a head-to-head trial.

How a trial works: people are put into groups at random. One group gets the medicine, another a dummy injection or dummy pill (placebo) with no medicine in it, and both get the same diet and exercise advice. The gap between the groups is what the medicine added.

Average weight lost in three separate trials
% of body weight · adults with obesity, or overweight plus a weight-related condition, without diabetes
STEP 1 · semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) · 68 weeks
SURMOUNT-1 · tirzepatide 15 mg · 72 weeks
SURMOUNT-5 · head to head, no dummy group · 72 weeks
Bars are on one scale, but STEP 1 and SURMOUNT-1 were separate trials, so their bars can't be lined up against each other. STEP 1 and SURMOUNT-1 figures are from the US Wegovy and Zepbound labels, as in our trial-results tool; SURMOUNT-5 from its trial paper. Checked 18 October 2026.4,7,10,44

For someone who starts at 90 kg (198 lb), 14.9% is about 13 kg (30 lb) and 20.9% about 19 kg (41 lb). These are averages: some people lose much more, and some lose very little. In STEP 1, 83.5 in 100 people on semaglutide lost at least 5% of their weight, against 31.1 in 100 on the dummy injection; put the other way, about 1 in 6 on semaglutide lost less than 5%.4

The head-to-head trial. SURMOUNT-5 gave 751 adults with obesity but no diabetes either tirzepatide or semaglutide, for 72 weeks. Semaglutide went up to 2.4 mg, the Wegovy dose. Average weight change was −20.2% on tirzepatide and −13.7% on semaglutide.10 People knew which medicine they were taking, and Eli Lilly, which makes tirzepatide, paid for the trial.10 The harms are set out in Wegovy vs Mounjaro.

In type 2 diabetes, weight change was smaller, and the trials reported it in kg. Over 26 to 40 weeks, against a dummy injection or pill:1,2,3,5,6

  • semaglutide 1 mg (Ozempic, SUSTAIN 1): −4.7 kg, against −1.2 kg (30 weeks); semaglutide 14 mg tablet (Rybelsus, PIONEER 1): −3.7 kg, against −1.4 kg (26 weeks);
  • tirzepatide 15 mg (Mounjaro, SURPASS-1): −7.8 kg, against −1.0 kg (40 weeks);
  • liraglutide 1.8 mg (Victoza): −2.8 kg, against −1.5 kg (26 weeks);
  • dulaglutide 1.5 mg: −3.0 kg, against −1.4 kg (26 weeks).

Every medicine and dose, with side effects and how many stopped, is in our trial results tool.

RisksThe risks they share, in brief
  • Stomach effects (nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation) are the most common on every one, mostly while the dose goes up.1,2,4,6
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): every label warns of it. The sign is severe stomach pain that won't go away, sometimes reaching the back.1,2,3,6
  • Thyroid warning. The US labels rule them out for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN 2, an inherited condition that causes gland tumours; tell your doctor if this applies.1,2,3,6
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →

Which GLP-1 medicine costs more in India?

It depends on the medicine, the brand and the dose. Printed MRPs for about a month, most searched in India first (Google Trends):

  • Semaglutide: per 4 weekly doses, Ozempic ₹5,660 to ₹9,100, Wegovy ₹5,660 to ₹16,400 and Poviztra ₹3,999 to ₹8,999.19,22,23,36 Generic pens launched at ₹1,800 to ₹4,200 for starting doses and ₹4,200 to ₹8,000 for top doses, and Natco's vials from ₹1,290 a month.28,29,30,31 Rybelsus tablets, per 30: ₹8,916 to ₹9,510 at 3 mg (pharmacies differ), up to ₹10,884 at 14 mg.36
  • Tirzepatide: Mounjaro ₹13,125 (2.5 mg) to ₹25,781 (12.5 and 15 mg) per 4 weekly doses. Yurpeak has no published MRP.36,16
  • Liraglutide: per 30 days, Victoza ₹4,991 to ₹14,974 and Lirafit ₹2,086 to ₹6,258, depending on the daily dose.36
  • Dulaglutide: Trulicity ₹11,338 per 4 weekly doses.36

The dose a doctor sets decides the bill, and doses of different medicines aren't equal in strength. A doctor's visit and blood tests come on top: an endocrinologist visit had a median listed fee of ₹1,100 across 59 doctors on Practo in 6 cities.42 Every brand and dose is in GLP‑1 medicines and prices in India.

Who pays. Most Indian health policies pay for hospital stays and exclude outpatient treatment, which is how these medicines are used.41 Since 24 July 2026, the government's CGHS scheme allows injectable semaglutide and tirzepatide only at a BMI of 35 or more, or 32.5 or more with a listed condition.40 The detail is in does insurance cover GLP‑1s in India?

Free toolWork out your own 6- and 12-month cost

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Which one? What a doctor weighs

There is no single right GLP‑1 medicine. A doctor looks at your health, your routine and what you can keep up, and may decide none of them fits.

  • Your health conditions, and what each brand is approved for in India. Type 2 diabetes: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Yurpeak, Victoza and Trulicity, among others.17,24,33,34,15,16 Weight: Wegovy, Poviztra, Mounjaro, Yurpeak and some generic semaglutide brands.19,22,15,16,28 Fatty liver with scarring (MASH) in adults: Wegovy, since July 2026.21 Teenagers 12 and over who weigh more than 60 kg: Wegovy, since May 2026.20
  • Heart and sleep apnoea. US labels add heart-risk uses for some of these medicines, and a sleep-apnoea use for Zepbound.1,2,3,4,7 We found no matching Indian approvals; see the heart trials and sleep apnoea and tirzepatide.
  • Daily or weekly, needle or tablet. A daily injection, a weekly injection or a daily tablet with a strict morning routine.
  • Side effects, especially stomach effects, and other medicines you take. Mounjaro's US label says it can make the contraceptive pill less reliable.6
  • Availability and cost: which strengths are in stock, recalls, and what you'll pay each month for as long as you take it.

Lifestyle changes stay the base for everyone: the weight labels pair these medicines with a reduced-calorie diet and more activity.4,7 To prepare for the visit, use our doctor questions tool, and see Guide 6: Seeing a doctor, and the medicines in India.

Questions people ask

How many GLP-1 medicines are sold in India?

Four: semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide. They're sold under many brands, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Poviztra, Mounjaro, Yurpeak, Victoza, Lirafit, Trulicity and generic semaglutide brands.33,34,35,19,22,24,15,16,27

Which GLP-1 medicines are approved for weight loss in India?

Wegovy and Poviztra (semaglutide), Mounjaro and Yurpeak (tirzepatide), and some generic semaglutide brands. Ozempic, Rybelsus, Victoza and Trulicity are approved for type 2 diabetes.19,22,15,16,28,17,24,33,34

Does tirzepatide lead to more weight loss than semaglutide?

In SURMOUNT-5, the one head-to-head weight trial, average weight change over 72 weeks was −20.2% on tirzepatide and −13.7% on semaglutide 2.4 mg. People knew which medicine they took, and Eli Lilly, tirzepatide's maker, paid for it.10

Is there a GLP-1 tablet in India?

Yes: semaglutide tablets, sold as Rybelsus and, since 2026, Indian generic brands. All are approved for type 2 diabetes only and are taken on an empty stomach each morning.24,43,5

Is orforglipron (Foundayo) available in India?

Not yet. An Indian expert committee recommended approving it on 20 May 2026. Lilly's chief executive was reported in October 2026 as saying it could launch in India as early as 2027, subject to approval.13,14

Is Zepbound sold in India?

No. Zepbound is Lilly's US brand of tirzepatide for weight. In India, tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro, approved for type 2 diabetes and weight, and as Cipla's Yurpeak.7,15,16

How we researched this

We found no Indian pack insert online for any of these medicines, so on 18 October 2026 we read the current US labels for Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Victoza and Trulicity, and the STEP 1, SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-5 papers. Indian approvals come from CDSCO committee minutes, maker announcements and dated news reports.

Prices are the same figures as our cost calculator and prices page (checked 11 October 2026): maker statements and dated news reports first, then the MRP printed on at least two pharmacy listings that agree. We name those listings but don't link them. We never use discounted selling prices, and we never rank medicines by price or by results.

We left out generic tablet prices and Indian versions of liraglutide other than Lirafit, because our price data doesn't hold one agreed MRP for them yet.

Before you move on

  • India sells four GLP‑1 medicines: semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide.
  • Brands of one medicine can differ in dose, form and approved use.
  • Separate trials can't be compared directly; SURMOUNT-5 is the one head-to-head weight trial.
  • Your dose and brand decide the monthly cost, and most policies don't pay.
GLP‑1 types, brands and how they workTrial results toolCost calculator

More comparisons

INIndiaComparisonMounjaro vs Ozempic: how do they differ in India? INIndiaComparisonWegovy vs Ozempic: same medicine, different brand? INIndiaComparisonSemaglutide vs tirzepatide dose chart: how do the doses compare?
About GLP Guidebook

The twice-monthly India update

An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Twice a month: new brands, price changes, approvals and recalls. How we write

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Sources

  1. Eli Lilly. Trulicity (dulaglutide) prescribing information, US label, not the Indian one, revised March 2026: initial US approval 2014; adverse reactions (6.1, Table 1, placebo-controlled pool); half-life (12.3); add-on-to-metformin trial, 972 adults, 26-week placebo comparison (14.3); warnings (5); indications (1). PDF
  2. Novo Nordisk. Victoza (liraglutide) prescribing information, US label, revised October 2025: initial US approval 2010; adverse reactions (6.1, Table 1); half-life about 13 hours (12.3); add-on-to-metformin trial, 1,091 adults, 26 weeks (14, Table 4); Victoza and Saxenda doses; warnings (5). PDF
  3. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information, US label, revised May 2026: initial US approval 2017; mechanism (12.1); half-life about 1 week (12.3); SUSTAIN 1 monotherapy trial (14.1); warnings (5). PDF
  4. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, US label, revised June 2026: dosage to 2.4 mg (2.2); adverse reactions (6.1, Table 3); STEP 1 = Study 2 (14.2, Table 8, including the share reaching 5%). PDF
  5. Novo Nordisk. Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets prescribing information, US label, revised January 2026: how to take (2.1); absorption with SNAC, 0.4% to 1% bioavailability for Rybelsus (12.3); PIONEER 1 (14.2). PDF
  6. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, revised August 2026: initial US approval 2022; GIP and GLP-1 receptors (12.1); half-life about 5 days (12.3); SURPASS-1 (14.2, Table 4); oral contraceptives (7.2); warnings (5). PDF
  7. Eli Lilly. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, revised August 2026: indications including obstructive sleep apnoea (1); adverse reactions (6.1, Table 1); SURMOUNT-1 = Study 1 (14.1, Table 2). PDF
  8. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989–1002. Funded by Novo Nordisk. PMID 33567185
  9. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med 2022;387:205–216. Funded by Eli Lilly. PMID 35658024
  10. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al. Tirzepatide as compared with semaglutide for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-5). N Engl J Med 2025;393:26–36. Open-label; funded by Eli Lilly. DOI · PMID 40353578
  11. Wharton S, Aronne LJ, Stefanski A, et al. Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity treatment (ATTAIN-1). N Engl J Med 2025;393(18):1796–1806. PMID 40960239
  12. Eli Lilly and Company. FDA approves Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron), the only GLP-1 pill for weight loss that can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictions. Press release, 1 April 2026. Link
  13. CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), meeting of 20 May 2026, item 4 (orforglipron). PDF · archived copy
  14. Free Press Journal (citing CNBC-TV18). Eli Lilly may launch oral obesity drug Foundayo in India in 2027: CEO David Ricks ("as early as 2027, subject to regulatory approval"). 2 October 2026. Link
  15. BioSpectrum. Eli Lilly introduces Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (CDSCO marketing authorisation; indications). 20 March 2025. Link
  16. Cipla. Cipla launches Yurpeak (tirzepatide) ("Lilly will manufacture and supply Yurpeak to Cipla, and the price will be the same as Mounjaro"). Press release, 10 December 2025. PDF
  17. BusinessToday. Ozempic gets India nod: drug regulator approves Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes drug (type 2 diabetes; "not approved for obesity management"). 26 September 2025. Link
  18. Business Standard. Novo Nordisk launches Ozempic in India at ₹2,200/week (strengths 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg). 12 December 2025. Link
  19. Business Standard. As generics wave builds up, Novo Nordisk slashes Ozempic, Wegovy prices (Ozempic ₹5,660 to ₹9,100 a month; Wegovy prices). 31 March 2026. Link
  20. IndiaMedToday. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy gets CDSCO nod for adolescent obesity in India (12 and older, above 60 kg). 29 May 2026. Link
  21. Business Standard. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy gets CDSCO nod for fatty liver disease indication (non-cirrhotic MASH with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis). 17 July 2026. Link
  22. Medical Dialogues. Emcure cuts Poviztra price by 55%, starting dose now ₹3,999 per month (Emcure "exclusively distributes and commercializes Poviztra in India as a second brand of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide"). 4 April 2026. Link
  23. Indian Pharma Post. Emcure Pharma reduces Poviztra starting dose price by 55% in India (revised monthly MRPs for each strength, effective 3 April 2026). 2 April 2026. Link
  24. Medical Dialogues. Novo Nordisk gets CDSCO panel nod for Rybelsus label update aligned with EMA (3, 7 and 14 mg tablets, type 2 diabetes). 10 September 2025. Link
  25. Business Standard (citing The Economic Times and Pharmarack). New oral diabetes and obesity drug sale doubles in India amid demand surge (Rybelsus, launched in India in 2022). 9 May 2024. Link
  26. Reuters (via Yahoo Finance). Novo Nordisk cuts prices of Ozempic, Wegovy in India (semaglutide patent expired 20 March 2026). 31 March 2026. Link
  27. Pearce IP. Generic semaglutide launches in India, including by Dr Reddy's, Zydus, Alkem, Sun Pharma and Glenmark. 21 March 2026. Link
  28. Alkem Laboratories. Press release: semaglutide pen of four doses "at an affordable price starting INR 1,800"; DCGI approval for type 2 diabetes and weight management. 21 March 2026. PDF
  29. Dr Reddy's Laboratories. Press release: launch of Obeda (semaglutide) pens for type 2 diabetes (₹4,200 for the 4 mg pen). 21 March 2026, as filed with the US SEC. Link
  30. Sun Pharma. Press release: Sun Pharma launches semaglutide injection as Noveltreat and Sematrinity (Noveltreat 2.4 mg at ₹2,000 a week). 21 March 2026. PDF
  31. BusinessToday. NATCO opens semaglutide market at ₹1,290 (multi-dose vials from ₹1,290 a month). 20 March 2026. Link
  32. Medical Dialogues. Recalls by Dr Reddy's, Torrent put spotlight on quality standards in India's semaglutide market. 10 July 2026. Link
  33. BioSpectrum. Once-a-week drug for type 2 diabetes launched by Lilly India (Trulicity). 3 March 2016. Link
  34. Business Standard (Novo Nordisk press release). One drug, four benefits: Novo Nordisk launches Victoza in India (approved by DCGI in January 2010 for type 2 diabetes). 7 June 2010. Link
  35. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. Glenmark is the first to launch biosimilar of popular anti-diabetic drug liraglutide in India (Lirafit, type 2 diabetes). Press release, 3 January 2024. PDF
  36. GLP Guidebook price data (the same as our cost calculator and prices page), checked 11 October 2026: printed MRPs on at least two agreeing pharmacy listings (PharmEasy, Tata 1mg, MrMed, Medkart, Truemeds, Apollo Pharmacy) for Mounjaro KwikPens and vials, Ozempic 0.5 mg, Wegovy 1.7 mg, Rybelsus, Victoza, Lirafit and Trulicity; maker or news prices elsewhere (sources 16, 19, 22, 23). Pharmacy listings are not linked: we don't link pages that sell medicines. Method and data
  37. Press Information Bureau (PIB Research). GLP-1 Drugs: Use, Risks, and Regulation ("In India, GLP-1 drugs can only be prescribed by endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, and cardiologists"). 1 April 2026. PDF
  38. CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 20–21 April 2023, item 1, tirzepatide: "The drug should be sold by retail under prescription of Endocrinologist or internal medicine specialists only." PDF · archived copy
  39. CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 13–14 February 2024, items 3–4, semaglutide: "To be sold by retail on the prescription of an Endocrinologist, and Internal medicine". PDF · archived copy
  40. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (EHS Section). Office Memorandum, 24 July 2026: Guidelines for prescription of injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists under CGHS and CS(MA) Rules, 1944. PDF (copy hosted by GConnect)
  41. Niva Bupa. Health insurance exclusion list updated from IRDAI (standard cover pays for hospital admission; outpatient treatment excluded unless an OPD add-on is bought). Checked 5 October 2026. Link
  42. GLP Guidebook. Endocrinologist in-clinic fees on Practo: median of 59 listed fees across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Collected 5 October 2026. Method in Guide 6
  43. Torrent Pharmaceuticals. Press release: Torrent Pharma launches oral and injectable formulations of semaglutide (Sembolic, Semalix). 21 March 2026. PDF
  44. GLP Guidebook. Trial results tool, India: the same STEP 1, SURMOUNT-1, SUSTAIN 1, SURPASS-1 and PIONEER 1 figures, from the US labels, checked 14 October 2026. Tool

Last checked 18 Oct 2026 · Next review due 18 Apr 2027 · Report an error

How this page was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write