India’s copycat drugmakers brace for UK market as Saxenda patent ends

Biocon plans to launch its generic Saxenda in the UK by November 

With Novo Nordisk’s UK patent for Saxenda expiring next month, India’s copycat drugmakers are gearing up to introduce cheaper weight-loss drugs in the market.

Saxenda, which contains the active ingredient liraglutide, belongs to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist drug class. It is an injectable prescription medicine indicated for weight management alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Bengaluru-based Biocon has secured UK authorisation to launch a generic version of the obesity medication, with sales expected to begin in November.

Biocon CEO Siddharth Mittal told Financial Times that they are projecting annual sales of the drug in the UK to reach £18 million, though he refrained from discussing his pricing strategy.

He anticipates that the EU will approve Biocon’s generic version this year, with the US following suit by 2025.

Mittal also predicted a “huge price war” as generic weight-loss drugs enter the UK market, stating that “there is a huge demand for these drugs at the right price.”

In the US, Israeli drugmaker Teva launched a generic version of Victoza, another Novo Nordisk drug based on liraglutide for diabetes treatment, in June.

The Danish company recently confirmed the discontinuation of Victoza as part of a strategy to consolidate its product portfolio.

Biocon, along with other major Indian generic producers like Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, has been anticipating the end of Novo Nordisk's exclusivity on GLP-1 medications.

The company’s patents for semaglutide, the active ingredient in its popular diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss medication Wegovy, will start to expire across Asia, Africa, and the Americas from 2026, and in the US from 2030.

Furthermore, the Indian government has announced plans to subsidise the manufacturing of diabetes and weight-loss treatments following the patent expiration of semaglutide in the country in 2026.

Pharmaceutical companies in India have applied for the government's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing GLP-1 drugs.

Saxenda, which requires daily injections, has been reported to be less effective compared to weekly treatments such as Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

As reported by Financial Times, Novo Nordisk experienced a 36 per cent decline in Saxenda sales during the first half of 2024.

It is estimated that the arrival of generic competition could lead to the original supplier losing around 80 per cent of its market share and a decrease in drug prices by approximately 20-30 per cent.