
Novo Nordisk India and Emcure Pharma have announced a strategic partnership to significantly expand the availability of the weight management medication, semaglutide injection 2.4 mg, in India. Emcure will commercialize the drug under the brand name Poviztra®, making it the second brand of Wegovy® in the country.
Key Details of the Partnership
- Product: Poviztra® (semaglutide injection 2.4 mg), which is the second brand of Wegovy®.
- Indication: Adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management and reduction in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in individuals with overweight or obesity.
- Role of Emcure: Emcure Pharma will serve as the exclusive distributor responsible for the commercialization and marketing of Poviztra® across India.
- Strategic Goal: The collaboration aims to strengthen distribution, particularly through pharmacies and in regions beyond those currently served by Novo Nordisk India, thereby broadening patient access.
Addressing the Obesity Challenge in India
Novo Nordisk originally launched its semaglutide product, Wegovy®, in India in June 2025. This partnership is a direct effort to scale up access given the “significant unmet medical needs” posed by chronic obesity in India.
- Clinical Efficacy: Semaglutide injection 2.4 mg has been shown in clinical trials to be highly effective, with 1 in 3 participants on Wegovy® experiencing weight loss of over $20\%$.
- Established Trust: Semaglutide has an extensive history, with over 38 million patient years of exposure globally, supported by robust real-world evidence.
Jay Thyagarajan, Senior Vice President, Region APAC, Novo Nordisk, highlighted that the partnership combines “Novo Nordisk’s innovation in GLP-1 therapies and Emcure’s robust marketing and distribution capabilities.”
Satish Mehta, CEO and MD, Emcure Pharma, expressed pride in being the first Indian pharmaceutical company to market the molecule, stating confidence in making the treatment available to “patients who need it the most” using their “strong understanding of the country’s diverse geographical landscape.”
