By Nidhi C Sai, Editor Online Production, with global Reuters staff |
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India has joined the global rush for weight-loss drugs as Novo Nordisk launched its popular Wegovy last week in the world's most populous country, just months after the arrival of rival Eli Lilly's Mounjaro.
India's pharmaceutical powerhouses are also gearing up to launch generic versions of these drugs, putting it squarely on the map of what could become a $150 billion global market within the next 10 years. That's our focus this week.
And, after a bountiful monsoon brought a bumper rice harvest, India is diverting record volumes to ethanol production to rein in inventories. Scroll down for more on that. From healthcare to esports, Asia's industries are evolving fast. Register to watch the live broadcast of the #ReutersNEXTAsia summit on July 9 to see how innovation is reshaping the region. |
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A new market for weight-loss drugs |
India looks poised to become the next big battleground in the booming market for weight-loss drugs, its strong economic growth and rapidly rising rates of obesity drawing the attention of both global pharmaceutical giants and home-grown generics makers. Denmark's Novo Nordisk last week began selling its blockbuster drug Wegovy in India while competitor Eli Lilly introduced an easy-to-use version of its Mounjaro, in what Jefferies predicts could soon grow into a $1 billion market. That's still a small fraction of the worldwide market, worth $24 billion last year according to IQVIA, while various forecasts indicate it could reach $150 billion early in the next decade. Many forecasts, moreover, have been raised sharply over the past year, and both analysts and industry executives have marked India and other big emerging markets as an essential driver of that growth. India lags only China in the number of adults with diabetes and its obesity rates are on the rise. A government survey last year noted that rising incomes and urbanisation have boosted consumption of processed food and beverages. "Driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental factors, obesity is rising rapidly, impacting both urban and rural populations," Nadim Anwer, pharmaceuticals analyst at data and analytics firm GlobalData, wrote in a report last month. "This trend is driving market growth," Anwer said. A government health survey conducted from 2019 to 2021 found nearly one in four Indian adults was overweight or obese. Just five years earlier that figure was one in five. Looking at obesity alone, the World Obesity Federation estimated the rate among Indian adults at 8% in 2023, well below 22% in the U.S. But India's population is four times larger, and its adult obesity rate is forecast to keep rising to 11% by 2035. |
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India's generics powerhouses poised for battle |
This has drawn the attention not just of overseas majors like Novo and Lilly. Indian pharmaceutical heavyweights such as Sun Pharma, Cipla, Dr. Reddy's, Lupin and Biocon are preparing to launch cheaper generic drugs once semaglutide, the active compound in Wegovy, goes off-patent in 2026. Analysts at Jefferies said these big drugmakers would be particularly well-placed to benefit, given the complexity of manufacturing the drugs. Read here for details on firms looking to enter this segment. But these weight-loss drugs aren't going cheap - at least for now. Wegovy and Mounjaro are priced between 17,000 rupees and 26,000 rupees a month, putting them out of reach for most Indians without insurance or deep pockets. That hasn't dimmed enthusiasm among India's burgeoning urban middle class. Doctors across the country reported a surge in patient enquiries, mirroring the global frenzy, and Lilly said the response has been positive in India. While the entry of generics is likely to drive costs down eventually, other question marks hang over these drugs. New research has shown that they have a smaller impact in real life than in trials, the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter noted in its June edition. You can sign up for that newsletter here. Moreover, the World Health Organization said late last year that, while the drugs carry "the possibility of an end to the obesity pandemic", they also risk leaving behind those without access to proper healthcare and could overshadow other efforts to improve health. The WHO is due to release a report soon that would nevertheless back the use of such drugs for adults globally. Read here for that exclusive report. What do you think about the future of weight-loss drugs in India? Could it become a top world market - and manufacturer - for the pharmaceutical industry's latest blockbuster? Write to me at nidhi.csai@thomsonreuters.com. |
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The Dalai Lama will address a major Buddhist gathering this week ahead of his 90th birthday, as followers await clues about his succession that may end up provoking China. Beijing views the exiled Tibetan leader as a separatist and says it will appoint his successor, which the Dalai Lama rejects. He has previously said it is possible his reincarnation will be found outside China, perhaps in India. Discussions around reincarnation usually don't happen during a monk's lifetime but Tibet's chief state oracle, who is also in exile in India, has said Beijing's interference changed that. No longer just a matter of religious significance for the Dalai Lama's followers, the succession has taken on geopolitical significance for China, India and the United States. Reuters journalist Krishna N. Das explains the Dalai Lama's succession plans here. |
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India is diverting record volumes of rice to ethanol production as it struggles with unprecedented inventories of the grain, which are likely to swell further with the arrival of the new harvest. India in March lifted the last of its rice export restrictions, which were adopted two years ago in response to poor rains. Now, the world's No.3 oil importer and consumer of petroleum products wants to harness that bumper harvest to meet its growing energy needs. The government has set a target to increase the proportion of gasoline blended with ethanol to 20% by 2025-26. It nearly hit that target in May, reaching 19.8%, with help from surplus rice. Read this in-depth report by Reuters correspondent Rajendra Jadhav. |
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| Models present creations from the Prada Spring-Summer 2026 menswear collection during the Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo |
A new sandal design debuted by luxury fashion house Prada created a furore among traditional artisans in India, who said it had Indian roots. The sandals resembled handmade Kolhapuri slippers with designs dating back to the 12th century, and Prada eventually acknowledged they were inspired by traditional Indian footwear. |
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| This newsletter was edited by Edmund Klamann, Deputy Head, Asia Desk in Singapore. |
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