Eli Lilly’s obesity and diabetes drug, Mounjaro, became India’s highest-selling medicine by value in October, marking a significant rise in demand for weight-loss treatments.
Launched in India in March 2025, Mounjaro has so far accumulated Rs 3.33 billion in total sales. It has also outpaced Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, launched in June, with October sales roughly 10 times higher in volume.
The injectable drug generated around Rs 1 billion (US$ 11.38 million) in sales, surpassing the popular antibiotic Augmentin, which earned roughly Rs 800 million during the same period. While Mounjaro led in revenue, its volume of sales remained much lower, only about 85 units were sold in October, compared to Augmentin’s 5,784 units.
Mounjaro belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, which helps lower blood sugar, slow digestion, and reduce weight. Rising lifestyle diseases in India are driving the demand for such medications. Eli Lilly has partnered with Cipla to market Mounjaro under a different brand locally.
Analysts predict India will become a major market for obesity drugs, as the global weight-loss treatment sector could reach US$150 billion annually by the decade’s end. Meanwhile, Wegovy’s active ingredient, semaglutide, is expected to lose its patent in India by March 2026, paving the way for generic versions.
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