Emcure shares jump 8% on Novo Nordisk tie-up to launch weight-loss drug in India

Novo Nordisk India has entered into a strategic partnership with Emcure Pharmaceuticals to launch Poviztra®, the second brand of Wegovy® (semaglutide injection 2.4 mg), as part of efforts to widen access to its globally acclaimed anti-obesity therapy.

The deal makes Emcure the first Indian pharmaceutical company with exclusive rights to distribute and commercialise semaglutide for chronic weight management in India.

Under the arrangement, Emcure will take charge of the commercialisation, marketing, and distribution of Poviztra®, building on Novo Nordisk’s footprint to reach more pharmacies and patients, especially in smaller towns and regions beyond the multinational’s current reach.

Second brand to strengthen reach

Poviztra® will serve as a second brand of Wegovy®, which Novo Nordisk introduced in India in June 2025. Both products use semaglutide 2.4 mg, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist that regulates appetite and calorie intake, aiding significant and sustained weight loss.

In global clinical studies under Novo Nordisk’s STEP and SELECT programmes, one in three participants using semaglutide achieved over 20% weight reduction. The molecule has also demonstrated benefits in reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events among overweight and obese adults.

The launch of Poviztra® aims to ensure uninterrupted access and broader availability of semaglutide-based therapy in India, where the medical treatment of obesity is still at a nascent stage.

‘A partnership to broaden access’

Jay Thyagarajan, Senior Vice President, Region APAC, Novo Nordisk, said the collaboration underscores the company’s commitment to expanding obesity care in India.

“Obesity is a serious chronic disease affecting millions of people across India. Recognising this challenge, we launched Wegovy® earlier this year. Now, by joining hands with Emcure Pharma, we can broaden access to safe, effective, and high-quality obesity treatment,” he said.

Thyagarajan added that the partnership combines Novo Nordisk’s scientific leadership in GLP-1 therapies with Emcure’s robust marketing and distribution network to improve treatment reach across India.

Emcure to leverage pan-India network

Satish Mehta, CEO and Managing Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, said the company is proud to bring the world’s most trusted GLP-1-based weight-loss molecule to Indian patients.

“With our deep understanding of India’s diverse geography and strong presence across therapeutic segments, we are confident of making Poviztra® accessible to patients who need it most,” Mehta said.

Emcure’s extensive field force and established retail linkages are expected to help scale availability beyond metropolitan markets, reaching Tier-II and Tier-III cities where obesity management remains underserved.

Semaglutide’s proven track record

Semaglutide has been used worldwide for close to a decade, initially in diabetes management and later as a dedicated obesity drug. Novo Nordisk said the molecule has 38 million patient-years of global exposure and is backed by extensive real-world evidence demonstrating long-term efficacy and safety.

With the launch of Poviztra®, Novo Nordisk and Emcure aim to respond to growing demand for medically supervised weight-loss treatments in India, where patient awareness about obesity as a chronic disease is steadily increasing.

Obesity burden rising in India

India faces a mounting obesity crisis. According to health data, about 254 million Indians live with generalised obesity and another 351 million with abdominal obesity. The condition is linked to more than 230 health complications, including cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, knee osteoarthritis, and kidney disease.

Experts note that obesity in India is not simply the outcome of poor lifestyle choices but a multifactorial disorder shaped by genetics, biology, and environment. The combination of rising urbanisation, sedentary work, and calorie-dense diets has driven an exponential rise in obesity over the past two decades.

Given its association with diabetes and heart disease, obesity is increasingly being recognised as a chronic illness requiring long-term management and medical intervention, not just lifestyle modification.

So, what is this product?

Poviztra®/Wegovy® (semaglutide injection 2.4 mg) is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with:

BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² (obesity), or

BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² (overweight) with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

It also helps reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with obesity or overweight and established heart disease. The injection is delivered once a week through a pre-filled pen device, available in five dose strengths up to 2.4 mg, offering convenience and precise dosing.

Significance for India’s obesity-care market

Industry observers see the Novo Nordisk–Emcure partnership as a milestone in India’s emerging obesity-care market. A dual-brand strategy through Wegovy® and Poviztra® is expected to improve availability and affordability, easing supply bottlenecks as demand for semaglutide surges worldwide.

As obesity becomes a pressing public-health challenge, the entry of an Indian company into the segment signals growing domestic capability and awareness around evidence-based weight management.

With Poviztra®’s launch, Novo Nordisk and Emcure aim to accelerate access to modern obesity therapy and bring medically backed weight-management solutions to millions of Indians struggling with overweight and obesity.

Shares of Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd. surged 8% to hit a day's high of rs 1,463.70. The stock has jumped 40% in the last six months.Read about our editorial guidelines and ethics policy