The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order restricting Indian companies, Reddy’s Laboratories and OneSource Specialty Pharma, from marketing semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight loss drug Wegovy, in India. The order was made in response to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which claims that the Indian companies’ actions constitute a violation of their patent rights. Semaglutide is a key component of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy, and the company is seeking to protect its intellectual property.
During the court proceedings, the Indian companies acknowledged that they had been granted a license to manufacture semaglutide in December 2024 and had begun production in April 2025. However, they claimed that they did not have a license to sell the drug in India and assured the court that they would not do so. Instead, they reserved the right to export the drug to countries where Novo Nordisk does not hold a patent.
Novo Nordisk’s counsel argued that exporting an infringing product also constitutes patent infringement under the Patents Act, 1970. The court has accepted this argument and issued an order restricting the Indian companies from selling semaglutide in India. The matter is scheduled to be heard again on August 19, 2025, and the Indian companies have been granted 30 days to file their written statements in response to Novo Nordisk’s lawsuit.
The case highlights the complexities of patent law and the challenges faced by pharmaceutical companies in protecting their intellectual property rights. Novo Nordisk’s lawsuit demonstrates the company’s efforts to safeguard its patent rights and prevent unauthorized use of its proprietary technology. The outcome of the case will have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and the availability of affordable medicines in India. The court’s decision will also set a precedent for future patent infringement cases in India, particularly in the context of pharmaceutical products.