Asia’s flood of cheap Ozempic generics opens gates to weight-loss abuse

As Asia grappled with the impact of the Iran war, a major pharmaceutical milestone quietly made the headlines.
On March 20, the patent for semaglutide, the…

As Asia grappled with the impact of the Iran war, a major pharmaceutical milestone quietly made the headlines.

On March 20, the patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy drugs, expired in several countries, crucially India and China – two countries renowned for their production of generic drugs, which are drugs with the same active ingredient as the branded original but typically sold at much lower prices.

Ozempic, first approved in 2017 by the US Food and Drug Administration for use to treat type 2 diabetes, has quickly become popular as a weight loss injection. In 2021, Wegovy was approved as a weight-loss treatment for the clinically obese. Both semaglutide drugs have had a good run. Between 2021 and 2025, Novo’s obesity-drug business revenues grew by roughly tenfold.

In a world obsessed with physical appearance, it’s easy to see why these drugs are in demand.

The United States has been Novo’s primary market for both Ozempic and Wegovy, accounting for over 60 per cent of sales for weight-loss jabs. That is set to change as India and China enter the market with generics.

In India, generic semaglutide products were launched on March 21, the day after Novo’s patent expired, from companies such as Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Life Sciences and Alkem Laboratories. These generics are up to 70 per cent cheaper than Ozempic and Wegovy, despite Novo slashing prices last week to as low as 1,415 rupees (US$15) for a weekly shot. This year, at least 42 drug makers are expected to push out 50 such generics – India’s semaglutide market has exploded.

A man buys medicines from a pharmacy in Bengaluru on September 22, 2025. Photo: AFP

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