Eli Lilly has launched its easy-to-use Mounjaro Kwikpen in India, with the starting dose of 2.5 mg priced at Rs.14,000 (around USD 160) for a months supply, Reuters reported. The move steps up competition with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which entered the Indian market in June.
According to Lilly, the company received regulatory approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for the once-weekly Kwikpen in June — just two days after Novo Nordisk rolled out Wegovy in multiple dose strengths using a similar injector pen.
The Mounjaro Kwikpen will be offered in six strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg. The lowest two doses are priced at Rs.14,000 and Rs. 17,500 respectively, the mid-range 7.5 mg and 10 mg doses at Rs. 22,000, and the highest doses — 12.5 mg and 15 mg — at Rs. 27,500.
For comparison, Wegovy’s smallest doses — 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg — cost Rs. 17,345 per month, while its higher doses of 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg cost Rs24,280 and Rs.26,015 respectively.
Lilly began selling Mounjaro in India in late March in vial form for treating both diabetes and obesity, starting with 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses. Reuters reported that sales in July doubled compared to June, reflecting strong demand.
Both Mounjaro and Wegovy belong to a class of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel full for longer.
