Tirzepatide Shakes Up Obesity Market as Mounjaro Records Rs 390 Mn Sales in June
New Delhi: In India's rapidly growing anti-obesity drug landscape, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), launched by Eli Lilly in March 2025, is quickly establishing itself as a major player, disrupting prescription patterns and challenging the dominance of semaglutide-based therapies. Within just three months, the drug has captured an impressive 8% share of the country's Rs 628 crore obesity drug market, according to PharmaTrac June 2025 data.
Even before its formal launch, Mounjaro sold over 81,570 units totaling Rs 239.4 million by May, and post-launch adoption surged with a 60% increase in sales between April and May. By June, Mounjaro’s monthly sales nearly doubled to 87,986 units, generating approximately Rs 390.42 million (~Rs 39 crore or $4.7 million),” according to PharmaTrac.
PharmaTrac attributes this growth to a combination of factors, noting, “Both the Strengths of Mounjaro have shown a strong uptick in the month of Jun 25. This indicates adherence to prescribed dosage and parallel onboarding of new patients.”
The therapy’s dual mechanism — activating both GIP and GLP-1 receptors — offers better glycemic control and appetite suppression, which has particularly resonated with Indian prescribers managing rising cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The competitive pricing (Rs 3,500–Rs 4,375 per vial), CDSCO-approved six-dose strength range (2.5 mg to 15 mg), and upcoming Mounjaro KwikPen further position the drug as a flexible and accessible treatment option.
“Semaglutide dominates this market with 66% market share, [but] Tirzepatide has managed to garner Market Share of 8% within a quarter of launch,” PharmaTrac stated.
“Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are collectively ~75% of the Anti-Obesity Market in terms of value," the report added.
The overall Indian anti-obesity drug segment has undergone explosive expansion — growing nearly 5X in five years, from Rs 138 crore in 2021 to Rs 628 crore in 2025. The market's 5-year CAGR stands at 46%, driven by innovations in GLP-1 therapy, greater diagnosis rates, and increasing affordability.
“Acceptance, Awareness, Affordability and Willingness to try new drugs for Obesity management have propelled the growth of this market… nearly 5 times what it was 5 years back,” said Pharmarack’s Sheetal Sapale.
While traditional therapies like Orlistat still hold a 12% market share, newer drugs are quickly overtaking them. On the other hand, Liraglutide, an earlier GLP-1 drug, saw a steep 63% decline.
PharmaTrac observed, “Earlier drugs like Orlistat restricted fat absorption…. While Indian diet is more carb rich. Newer drugs focus on suppression of appetite, lowering of gut mobility leading to longer satiety or fullness of stomach.”
While semaglutide is currently commanding the market, the future will be interesting for Novo Nordisk as Indian manufacturers are racing to develop semaglutide generics, anticipating the drug’s patent expiry in 2026.
Also Read: Elli Lilly Reports Strong Response For Mounjaro In India Amid Rising Diabetes, Obesity Rates
