Ozempic launched in India: Diabetes drug’s price, dosage and what it means for patients
Novo Nordisk has officially launched Ozempic in India for diabetes care. Here’s how the injectable works, its dosage options, monthly cost and why the launch is significant for India.
Novo Nordisk, a Who's Who in the pharmaceutical industry, has now made public that it has officially launched, for medical use, its blockbuster diabetes medication, Ozempic (Semaglutide), in India. This move has attracted much attention from the medical community (physicians), diabetic patients, and seekers of global health trends.
Ozempic, an injectable medication originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2017 for type-2 diabetes, works by mimicking a natural hormone (GLP-1) that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. While its present approved use in India is for diabetes, it’s widely known globally, including among patients in India, for its potential to support weight loss because it slows digestion and reduces hunger.
Ozempic price and dosage options in India
The drug has hit the Indian market in three weekly dosage options:
- 0.25 mg — Rs 2,200 per week (about ₹ 8,800 per month)
- 0.5 mg — about Rs 10,170 per month
- 1 mg — about Rs 11,175 per month
This pricing gives patients a baseline idea of cost. For many Indians living with diabetes, a condition that affects millions, having a locally marketed option may ease access compared with importing drugs individually or relying on alternative formulations.
How Ozempic works in the body
Ozempic belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Here’s how it helps patients:
- Encourages insulin release when blood sugar is high
- Delays stomach emptying, so you feel full longer
- Can reduce appetite, supporting weight management alongside other treatments
Although this type of medication has gained popularity in many countries, including the United States, because of its sedative effect on people and the way it helps them lose weight, the drug is only approved to treat diabetes in India. Many Indian medical professionals, however, have been aware of the medication's effects on body mass and can use this information when helping patients.
Why Ozempic’s India launch matters
India has one of the world’s highest numbers of people with type-2 diabetes, second only to China, and obesity rates are climbing steadily. Bringing a globally recognised treatment like Ozempic to Indian patients is timely, considering both the health burden and the market demand for effective therapies.
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