50% Jump In Sales: Why Ozempic Is Still Winning Even After Losing Its Patent?

Published 29 July 2026 · india

50% Jump In Sales: Why Ozempic Is Still Winning Even After Losing Its Patent? Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 29, 2026, 18:25 IST

50% Jump In Sales: Why Ozempic Is Still Winning Even After Losing Its Patent? Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 29, 2026, 18:25 IST The winning strategy: By slashing prices – just after losing the patent and just as generics arrived – Novo Nordisk closed the gap that typically lets copies win Rapid Read Ozempic. The entry of dozens of generic semaglutide brands has not slowed Ozempic’s momentum in India. Sales of the original brand have continued to grow month on month, according to Pharmarack, a pharmaceutical market intelligence firm. Ozempic’s monthly sales rose from Rs 10 crore in March 2026, the month generic competition entered the market, to Rs 11 crore by June, while unit sales climbed from 12,000 to 18,000 over the same period — a 50 per cent increase. Wegovy, Novo Nordisk’s higher-dose semaglutide brand for weight management, posted similarly steady growth. According to industry experts, the answer lies less in the drug and more in the strategy. By slashing prices – just after losing the patent and just as generics arrived – Novo Nordisk closed the gap that typically lets copies win. Also, Ozempic leaned on something generics can’t easily replicate: years of physician trust and a patient base — largely paying out of pocket for weight loss — that was never particularly price-sensitive to begin with. When asked whether Ozempic’s revenue had declined since losing patent protection in March, Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director, Novo Nordisk India, told News18 on July 9 that the brand’s sales have continued to rise.

“I would not be smiling if it was dry revenue," he said. “Eventually, I think we are sequentially, month by month, growing — probably one of the examples that, despite the generic launches, month over month, we are getting the support of many of the doctors across and also from the patient. And probably because we are originators." Doctors say patients ask for the brand by name According to Dr Anoop Misra, one of India’s prominent endocrinologists and chairman at Fortis C-DOC, the pattern reflects how physicians weigh treatment decisions in chronic disease management. “Ozempic continues to dominate because it is the originator brand with the largest and longest body of clinical evidence supporting its efficacy and safety," he said. “It has built strong physician confidence over many years, benefits from high brand recognition, and is manufactured under rigorous quality standards. For many prescribers and patients, particularly when treating a chronic disease, trust in the evidence and consistency of product quality are more important than simply choosing a less expensive or newer alternative. “I write this brand much more than generics," Misra confessed. Similarly, Dr Atul Sardana, senior consultant in bariatric and metabolic surgery at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Delhi, said that patient behaviour in his practice reflects this trend. “There are two categories of people. The first are those who go directly to the chemist, where they may be offered cheaper generic versions. The second are those who come to doctors," he said.