Domestic pharma majors Lupin Ltd. and Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. will co-market Zydus' innovative semaglutide injection in India.

Under the Licensing and Supply Agreement signed by both companies, Lupin will have semi-exclusive rights to co-market Zydus’ semaglutide injection in India under the brand names Semanext and Lupin’s Livarise. Zydus will continue to market the product under the brand names Semaglyntm, Mashematm, and Altermetm.

As part of the agreement, Lupin will pay Zydus upfront licensing fees and milestone payments on achieving pre-defined milestones.

"Our partnership with Zydus to market semaglutide injection in India is a significant step in strengthening our commitment to providing advanced treatment options for cardio-metabolic diseases. As GLP‑1 therapies continue to redefine treatment standards globally, this collaboration enhances our diabetes portfolio and reinforces our focus on addressing unmet patient needs. Together, we aim to expand access to innovative, high-quality treatment options for patients and support healthcare professionals across India” Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director, Lupin said.

The semaglutide injection (15 mg/3 ml) of Zydus comes in a patient-friendly reusable pen device in India. This partnership brings together Lupin’s extensive reach in the Indian market and Zydus’ robust development capabilities, driven by the shared objective of bringing advanced therapies for metabolic disorders.

“Our life-changing discoveries are empowering patients to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Keeping patients’ needs and convenience at the very core, the innovative pen device we are offering is designed to make therapy simpler and improve quality of life. We are pleased to join hands with Lupin to broaden access to this medicine and the novel patient-friendly delivery device, thereby expand its reach across India," Sharvil Patel  Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences, said.

What role does semaglutide play in diabetes care?

Semaglutide is indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise as monotherapy, when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications or in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes.

It is also indicated as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of  30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight), in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia).

The patent protection semaglutide has in India is set to expire later this month.