The Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk is exploring the possibility of conducting pilot projects in India aimed at combating obesity in children and adolescents. Simultaneously, the company advocates for increasing the share of public funding in treating serious chronic diseases, striving to expand access to new medications in the country.
In an interview with Business Standard, Emil Kongshøj Larsen, Executive Vice President of International Operations at Novo Nordisk, noted that early intervention in obesity can bring significant long-term health benefits. This is because obese children and adolescents are highly likely to develop this condition in adulthood, leading to diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular pathologies.
Larsen expressed hope for conducting pilot programs to demonstrate the potential to slow the rise in obesity incidence in future generations. He also pointed to positive changes in the involvement of the Indian public sector, particularly in diabetes treatment, and suggested that this could extend to new treatments like GLP-1. Novo Nordisk is ready to support such discussions.
Furthermore, Larsen called for greater involvement of public funds in financing the treatment of severe chronic illnesses, emphasizing that such funding should be viewed as an investment in society, despite initial costs.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, has gained growing popularity in India since the release of Wegovy in June 2025 and Ozempic in December of the same year. The market entered a new phase after the patent for semaglutide expired in March of this year, allowing Indian manufacturers to introduce cheaper generics. Novo Company also lowered prices amid increased competition. Starting in April, starter doses of Ozempic and Wegovy cost ₹1,415 per week or ₹5,660 per month, corresponding to price reductions of 36% and 48% respectively.
Despite the increased activity in this category, Larsen noted that India is still in a relatively early stage of semaglutide adoption, as only a small fraction of Indians needing the drug receive it. He added that the company's work has just begun and noted the improving accessibility of the drug.
Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk in India, reported that in addition to increasing activity in this area, Novo is also intensifying efforts to differentiate its products in terms of quality and physician training on the manufacturing process. Shrotriya explained that semaglutide can be produced either using recombinant DNA technology or chemical synthesis, and Novo uses the former method. He emphasized that differentiation goes beyond the active ingredient and includes purification, formulation, packaging, and delivery device. 'We are doing the training work,' he stated.
India and China are among the countries with the largest populations of people suffering from diabetes. An ICMR-INDIAB study showed that 101 million people live with diabetes in India, while the International Diabetes Federation estimates the number of adults with diabetes in China at approximately 148 million in 2024. Larsen noted similarities between these markets, including large unmet medical needs, but pointed out differences in access: a higher percentage of patients in China receives reimbursement, whereas public sector initiatives are developing in India.