Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd on Tuesday said it has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market a generic version of semaglutide injection for chronic weight management in adults. The approval follows the successful review of a Phase III clinical trial conducted in India, the company said in a statement.
The generic semaglutide injection will be launched under the brand name Noveltreat after the expiry of the semaglutide patent in India. The drug belongs to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist class and is indicated for chronic weight management as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Noveltreat will be available in five dose strengths—0.25 mg/0.5 mL, 0.5 mg/0.5 mL, 1 mg/0.5 mL, 1.7 mg/0.75 mL, and 2.4 mg/0.75 mL—with a recommended maintenance dose of 2.4 mg administered once weekly. The product will be offered through an easy-to-use prefilled pen to enable convenient and accurate dosing.
Commenting on the development, Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director of Sun Pharma, said obesity and diabetes have become major public health challenges in India and GLP-1 based therapies can play a significant role in addressing this growing burden. He added that Noveltreat meets global quality standards and is backed by strong Indian clinical data on safety and efficacy, and that Sun Pharma aims to improve access to generic semaglutide across the country following patent expiry.
Dr Unnikrishnan A G, Chief Endocrinologist and CEO of Chellaram Diabetes Institute, said GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide represent an important advancement for metabolic health beyond weight loss alone. He noted that these therapies should be used alongside lifestyle measures like diet and physical activity and under close medical supervision, adding that better accessibility could help meet growing patient demand.
Separately, Sun Pharma noted that in December 2025 it had also received DCGI approval to manufacture and market semaglutide injection for adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. That product will be launched under the brand name Sematrinity after the patent expiry in India.
GLP-1 agonists are widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity and are known to improve glycaemic control while reducing cardiovascular and renal risks. According to the National Family Health Survey-5, nearly one in four Indians aged 15–49 years is overweight or obese, while the ICMR-INDIAB study published in 2023 estimates that more than 101 million people in India are living with diabetes, highlighting the growing need for effective and accessible treatment options.
