The Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, allowing the company to manufacture and export its version of the diabetes and anti-obesity drug semaglutide, while restricting domestic sales until 2026. The decision comes in a patent infringement case filed by Novo Nordisk, a Danish company that manufactures and sells the blockbuster weight-loss drug under the brand name Wegovy. Novo Nordisk had alleged that Dr. Reddy’s had infringed its patent by importing the active ingredient and producing finished formulations without consent.
The court found that there is a credible challenge to the validity of Novo Nordisk’s patent for semaglutide, which is used in several of its medicines, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Dr. Reddy’s had argued that Novo Nordisk’s patent was invalid and that its production was solely for export to countries where there was no patent. The Indian pharma company also claimed that Novo Nordisk was attempting to extend its monopoly by “evergreening” its patent, which would extend exclusivity beyond the expiry of the primary patent.
While the court allowed Dr. Reddy’s to export its version of semaglutide, it barred the company from domestic sales until March 2026, when Novo Nordisk’s secondary patent expires. This decision is significant, as Novo Nordisk had recently entered the Indian market with Wegovy, pricing the drug between ₹17,000 and ₹25,000 per month. Dr. Reddy’s had given an undertaking to the court that it would not sell or market its version of the anti-obesity drug in India pending the outcome of the patent infringement lawsuit.
The ruling is a win for Dr. Reddy’s, which can now export its version of semaglutide to countries where there is no patent. However, the company will have to wait until 2026 to sell its version of the drug in India, pending the expiry of Novo Nordisk’s secondary patent. The decision also highlights the ongoing battle between pharmaceutical companies over patent rights and the importance of intellectual property protection in the industry.