Over the last year, the market for cheaper generic anti-obesity drugs has grown 10x in India. However, after the initial surge, there has also been a relative flattening of the market, thanks to sensible regulation and improved awareness that has helped shape behaviour, rather than relying on any heavy-handed ban.
The early spike happened because, as data from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) shows, India has over 100 mn people with diabetes, and over 1 in 4 is overweight or obese. According to Pharmarack, the market for these medicines is now valued at over ₹1,408 cr, up from ₹140 cr a year ago. Eli Lilly's Mounjaro accounts for ₹1,049 cr, or over 77% of this market. Estimates suggest that India's GLP-1 - Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, a naturally occurring gut hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar - market will cross ₹12,000 cr over the next 5 yrs.
