Eris Lifesciences eyes ‘good’ share in semaglutide generics, says COO

Eris Lifesciences looks to leverage its experience in integrated diabetes portfolio to take a lead among the first wave of generic semaglutide anti-diabetic and weight-loss drugs to hit the market early next year, a top official said.

The company is looking at a “good” share of the market, Krishnakumar Vaidyanathan, executive director and chief operating officer of Eris Lifesciences, told ET in an interaction.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. Its patent in India will expire in March 2026.


“We are gearing up to be among the first to enter the market post loss of exclusivity,” Vaidyanathan said. “We expect the overall market for GLP-1 at the end of the first 12 months (after the loss of exclusivity) to be at least 10 million units… And we expect to get a good share of the market.”

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.

Eris Lifesciences’ existing diabetes portfolio includes orals, insulin and GLP-1 in the form of liraglutide.

Its network of field representatives, patient connect and service platform in this space gives the firm an advantage over others, Vaidyanathan said. “We do this day in and day out because of insulin. That gives us the confidence that we'll be able to step this up for GLP-1 as well.”

Globally, the GLP-1 market is dominated by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which are also the two biggest insulin companies in the world.

“Being successful and big in the insulin market provides a huge tailwind when it comes to selling GLPs,” Vaidyanathan said.

“We have combined service with technology and product to create a winning combination in insulin and GLP therapy entry is not any different, which also requires a lot of patient education over and above the service on using the pens,” he said. “We have an integrated diabetes portfolio because we currently sell GLP-1 in the form of liraglutide.”

Dr Reddy’s Labs, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Cipla, Mankind Pharma, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, and Zydus Lifesciences are also among Indian drugmakers readying to launch generic semaglutide next year.

Eris Lifesciences launched liraglutide, a once-a-day GLP-1 product, last September.

“We have taken very good market shares in all the other LOE (loss of exclusivity) opportunities that we have seen in diabetes,” Vaidyanathan said. “We have taken market ranks of 1 to 5 in each one without exception – vildagliptin, sitagliptin, linagliptin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin. That gives us the confidence that we should be getting a fair share of the market.”

Vishal Manchanda, pharma analyst at brokerage Systematix Group, said its full portfolio of anti-diabetes drugs to offer to diabetologist, spanning all oral and injectable options, should give Eris Lifesciences “a strong positioning in a market where the large pharma majors like Sun, Lupin, Dr Reddy’s, Cipla, Mankind and Zydus come in with their dominant brand presence.”