Overview
- The FDA approved once-weekly Wegovy HD (semaglutide 7.2 mg) under an accelerated review, with Novo Nordisk planning a U.S. launch in April after trials showed about 20.7% mean weight loss over 72 weeks and a similar safety profile to lower doses.
- Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide patent in India expires this week, with more than 40 domestic firms preparing launches within days and analysts projecting monthly prices to drop from roughly 11,000 rupees to 3,000–5,000 rupees initially and potentially 1,500–2,500 rupees over time.
- Experts caution that rapid generic entry in India could drive misuse, poor titration and unmanaged side effects given uneven prescription enforcement and aggressive branding across dozens of products.
- Zydus Lifesciences and Torrent Pharmaceuticals struck a licensing and supply pact for semaglutide injection, with Zydus manufacturing and Torrent co‑marketing under the Sembolic brand using a reusable pen device.
- Eli Lilly reported that its triple‑agonist retatrutide met goals in a 40‑week late‑stage diabetes trial, cutting A1C by about 1.7%–2.0% and producing up to 16.8% average weight loss, as new studies separately linked continuous GLP‑1 use to lower cardiovascular risk and semaglutide to reduced worsening of depression and anxiety.