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Mounjaro Dominates India's Booming Diabetes Drug Market
9 Sep
Summary
- GLP-1 drug market in India grew 74% in units recently.
- Injectable GLP-1 medicines now account for 86% of the market.
- Generic drug entry increased patient access and market size.
India's market for GLP-1 medicines, used for diabetes and weight-loss, has seen substantial growth, reaching Rs 2,333 crore in the 12 months ended August. The segment's unit sales rose by 74% in August alone, highlighting a significant increase in patient demand.
Injectable medications are leading this surge, capturing 86% of the GLP-1 market value, amounting to Rs 2,010 crore in August. This shift is attributed to the launch of injectable tirzepatide and semaglutide in 2025, which have overtaken earlier dominant oral semaglutide.
Tirzepatide leads with 62% market share, followed by semaglutide at 34%. The market expansion has been further boosted by generic versions, making treatments more affordable and accessible. While patient growth initially spiked post-generics, it is now stabilizing, suggesting a steady market phase.
Mounjaro, Eli Lilly's tirzepatide brand, remains the top-selling drug, achieving Rs 1,256 crore in sales over the 12 months ending August with remarkable growth. Despite a recent dip in unit sales, tirzepatide's value continues to rise, potentially due to dose changes or vial format shifts.
The broader Indian pharmaceutical market also showed healthy growth, with cardiac, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer medicines seeing double-digit increases. However, overall volume growth in the Indian pharma sector was modest, with price increases and new products driving overall value.
