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Informist, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026

 

--HC allows Natco Pharma to manufacture semaglutide, export to some nations 

--CONTEXT: Novo Nordisk had filed plea against manufacture of semaglutide 

 

NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court Wednesday allowed Natco Pharma Ltd. and MSN Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. to manufacture their version of diabetes and obesity drug 'semaglutide' and export it to countries where Novo Nordisk A/S has not been granted a patent for the drug. The court said Natco Pharma and MSN Laboratories would not sell their version of the semaglutide drug in India till March 2026, when Novo Nordisk's patent for the drug will expire.

 

Earlier, the single judge bench of the high court had given similar relief to Zydus Lifesciences Ltd., Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., its contract manufacturer OneSource Speciality Pharma Ltd., and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. An appeal by Novo Nordisk against the relief given on semaglutide drug is pending before the division bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, who had refused a stay on the single judge-bench's order.

 

Currently, Novo Nordisk sells 'Wegovy' and 'Rybelsus' using its patent on the drug semaglutide and it recently launched its once-a-week diabetes medicine Ozempic in India for people with type-II diabetes. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk held a primary consumption patent for semaglutide, which expired in September 2024. However, Novo Nordisk still held the secondary patent in India relating to the manufacturing process and delivery mechanism of semaglutide drug, which is valid till March 2026.

 

Last month, the high court had issued a notice to Novo Nordisk on Natco Pharma Ltd.'s plea seeking revocation of the former's patent on semaglutide for specific formulations and delivery mechanisms, set to expire in March. Patent revocation means the legal cancellation of a granted patent, effectively voiding the exclusive rights it provided, as if it never existed.

 

At 1219 IST, shares of Natco Pharma were up 0.2% at INR 855.00 on the National Stock Exchange.  End 

 

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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