Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has announced the launch of its injectable semaglutide under the brand name Obeda®, making it the first Indian company to receive DCGI approval for this generic. The drug is indicated for Type 2 Diabetes management. Clinical studies showed non-inferior efficacy to the innovator drug. Obeda® is available in 2mg and 4mg strengths, priced at INR 4,200 per month, aiming to expand access to advanced therapy in India.
Dr. Reddy’s Unveils First-in-Class Generic Semaglutide
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. announced on March 21, 2026, the immediate launch of its injectable semaglutide under the brand name Obeda® for the management of Type 2 Diabetes in India. This launch marks a Day-1 entry into the GLP-1 receptor agonists therapy space immediately upon patent expiry and establishes Dr. Reddy’s as the first Indian company to secure DCGI approval for generic semaglutide.
Clinical Validation and Product Profile
The product’s profile is supported by a head-to-head Phase III clinical study involving 312 participants. This study demonstrated that Obeda® established non-inferior efficacy and a comparable safety profile to the innovator drug, showing similar results in glycaemic reduction, fasting glucose control, and therapeutic glycaemic response (achieving HbA1c <7.0% at the study end).
Key features of Obeda® include:
- Both API development and manufacturing, alongside formulation development, were conducted entirely in-house, underscoring the company’s expertise in complex product development and peptide science.
- The injection is available in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.
- It comes in a pre-filled, disposable, user-friendly pen device for subcutaneous, once-a-week administration.
- Each pen delivers a minimum of 4 weekly doses.
- The cost to the patient for both strengths is INR 4,200 per month.
Addressing India’s Diabetes Burden
The launch is positioned to address India’s substantial diabetes burden, where the prevalence is estimated at 11.4% according to the ICMR-INDIAB study. Erez Israeli, Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Reddy’s, stated the launch reflects the commitment to expand the portfolio in critical therapeutic areas and ensure advanced diabetes treatments are both available and affordable.
M.V. Ramana, CEO of Branded Markets, emphasized that this science-led approach helps expand access to advanced therapies in India, strengthening the diabetes portfolio and supporting long-term health outcomes for patients with chronic metabolic diseases.
Patient Support and Future Plans
As part of the support ecosystem, Dr. Reddy’s has developed SemaKare™, a comprehensive digital support system offering onboarding guidance, injection training, and therapy adherence monitoring. The company also plans to build integrated metabolic centres of excellence across India.
Furthermore, Dr. Reddy’s aims to introduce generic semaglutide in several countries subject to regulatory approval as part of its phase-1 launch. The company is also leveraging its joint venture, Dr. Reddy’s Nestlé Health Science, to provide targeted nutrition products like Celevida GLP+ and Optifast to address nutritional requirements for patients on these therapies.
Source: BSE
