Mumbai, March 20 -- India's weight-loss drug market is on the verge of a price shake-up. In days, domestic drugmakers are set to launch cheaper versions of semaglutide, the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) therapy popular globally for weight management, following the drug's patent expiry in the country on Friday, 20 March. The move is expected to cut prices by roughly half, broaden access, and spark intense competition in what could become one of India's fastest-growing therapy segments. Originally developed by Novo Nordisk to treat type-2 diabetes, semaglutide, delivered in an injection, has gained global attention for its weight-loss benefits. The drug is sold under brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus (oral pill) by the Danish pharma giant. With patent protection expiring, companies including Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Zydus Lifesciences, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, and Alkem Laboratories are preparing day-one launches of generic versions at significantly lower costs. Analysts estimate these generics could cost between Rs.3,000 and Rs.4,000 per month, less than half compared with Novo's Ozempic, priced at Rs.8,800 for the starting 0.25mg dose. Even with initial adoption focused on higher-income segments, the potential market could reach over Rs.5,000 crore, driven by India's large and increasingly overweight population. The market, with sales of patented drugs already over Rs.1,400 crore as of February 2026, is expected to grow 5x in the next five years, according to CareEdge Ratings. According to healthtech platform Pharmarack, more than 50 brands could enter the market post-patent expiry. The initial wave of launches is expected from five to six companies between March 2026 and Q1FY27, with broader rollouts likely in the second half of next financial year, a recent report by CareEdge Ratings stated, adding that aggressive price cuts by innovator companies could likely squeeze margins for generic players. "It is a large pie, and everyone wants a piece," a top executive at a pharma company, who did not wish to be quoted, told Mint. Naturally, Indian drugmakers are moving quickly. Several companies have either announced brand names or indicated plans to launch their versions of semaglutide immediately after regulatory pathways open up. Natco Pharma has tied up with Eris Lifesciences, while Zydus is collaborating with Lupin and Torrent Pharmaceuticals to combine manufacturing and distribution strengths. Smaller firms are taking a more measured approach. "We are not planning a day-one launch, as our development and stability studies are currently underway. We are targeting a Q3 launch and prefer a calibrated entry rather than rushing into a highly competitive market immediately post-patent expiry," Saurabh Agarwal, director at HAB Pharma told Mint. India is among the most attractive markets for GLP-1 drugs, driven by rising obesity and diabetes prevalence. Roughly one in three adults has a high BMI (over 25), and by 2030, an estimated 404 million Indians are expected to fall into this category. BMI stands for body mass index, and is a metric widely used to categorize individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Separately, over 101 million people in India are living with type-2 diabetes, according to the ICMR-INDIAB study (2023). Companies are already sharpening their strategies in anticipation of intense competition. Zydus is focusing on differentiation through a multi-use injection pen designed for ease of use. Meanwhile, Mankind Pharma is setting up a dedicated obesity division and plans to launch 'Mankind Nutrition' with a specialized field force....