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Informist, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

 

MUMBAI – Shares of pharmaceutical companies are expected to rise next week amid positive investor sentiment ahead of the launch of glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs, which analysts say will be a big opportunity for domestic players. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories is geared to launch its generic on the day the patent for Semaglutide expires on Mar. 21. Several other pharmaceutical companies already have pre-requisite approvals for generic Semaglutide launch, while others are looking to enter the domestic GLP-1 market when the patent for the drug expires in India. 

 

"The initial competition (for GLP-1 sales) will be very intense," Mehul Sheth, analyst at HDFC Securities, said. He expects 15–20 players in the market competing for sales soon after patent expiry.

 

Despite this, the growth potential for the GLP-1 class of drugs is tremendous, and the obesity market in India is under-penetrated, the analyst said, citing Mounjaro, which has become one of the fastest-growing medications in the Indian pharmaceutical market.

 

Companies such as Lupin, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, and Torrent Pharma are expected to perform particularly well in this competition, while Alkem Laboratories and IPCA Laboratories are expected to lag due to differences in their distribution networks.

 

Sheth does not see a significant impact of GLP-1 drug launches on insulin sales in the near term. "It (insulin) is a sticky business, and it is more of a maintenance drug, rather than a weight-loss drug and is meant to be taken for a long period of time," he said. However, he added that newer prescriptions are more likely to carry GLP-1 drugs than insulin drugs in the next 2–3 years.

 

Sheth said that chronic therapy remains strong, while acute therapy, which the analyst had expected to show a gradual recovery, continues to underperform. Additionally, the oncology space, dominated by Zydus Lifesciences, IPCA Laboratories, Sun Pharmaceutical, and Emcure Pharmaceuticals, has seen strong growth over the past three-four quarters, the analyst said. 

 

The loss of revenue from generic Revlimid will likely result in a soft March quarter for major generic companies such as Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Cipla, and Zydus Lifesciences. Investors may look at companies engaged in contract development and manufacturing organisations in hopes of higher traction in bagging new projects.

For the week ended Friday, the Nifty Pharma index ended 1.1% higher at 22452.40 points. JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, and Gland Pharma rose 2-6% during the week. Mankind Pharma, IPCA Laboratories, and Piramal Pharma were the worst hit, ending 1–3% lower. The Nifty Pharma index is likely to find support around 21500 and resistance at 23500, according to a technical analyst from Laxmishree Securities. 

 

TOP HEADLINES

 

* Novartis AG to sell its stake in Novartis India to consortium of ChrysCapital
* US FDA ends inspection at Zydus Life's Ahmedabad unit with no observations
* Fortis Health promoter files petition to modify claim against Daiichi Sankyo
* SC rejects Marion Biotech plea, says cough syrup deaths ruined India's image
* Aurobindo Pharma gets demand for INR 1.7 bln from Telangana GST authority
* Zydus Life launches Anyra, biosimilar of Aflibercept 2 mg
* PRESS: Dr Reddy's preparing Day-1 launch of semaglutide generic in India
* Alembic Pharma gets two observations from US FDA for Karakhadi unit
* Jasti Family Trust sells nearly 2% stake in Cohance Life for INR 2.2 bln
* Dr Reddy's to buy Mercury Pharma's trademark Progynova, related India assets
* Zydus Life gets final approval from US FDA for Bosentan tablets
* Dabur India redesignates CEO Mohit Malhotra as global CEO
* Zydus Life launches oscillating positive expiratory pressure device PEPAIR
* Lupin inks pact with Spektus Pharma to commercialise DeslaFlex in Canada
* State pollution board OKs interim revocation for Piramal Pharma Gujarat unit
* US FDA issues Form 483 with 4 observations to Piramal Pharma Telangana unit
* Alkem Lab says arm Enzene Bio issued Form 483 by US FDA with 6 observations
* Zydus Life gets final approval from US FDA for ammonium lactate cream, 12%
* IPO Alert: Virupaksha Organics gets SEBI nod for INR 7.4-bln fresh issue
* NATCO Pharma gets India drug regulator's nod to manufacture, sell semaglutide
* US FDA tags Jubilant Pharmova arm's mfg unit as official action indicated
* Aurobindo Pharma arm gets US FDA nod for its dermatitis ointment
* SC refuses to bar Sun Pharma, arm from selling Pruease in infringement plea
* Analyst Concall: Torrent Pharma expects India ops to outpace industry growth
* Earnings Review: Torrent Pharma Q3 PAT up 26% on growth across geographies
* Analyst Concall: Lupin sees EBITDA margins falling to 24-25% in FY27
* Analyst Concall: Alkem Lab aims at INR-10-bln sales from medi-tech segment
* Akums Drugs Oct-Dec net profit falls 32% YoY to INR 281.14 million
* National Fert Oct-Dec consol PAT up nearly 3-fold YoY at INR 1.35 billion
* Analyst Concall: Alkem Lab aims at INR 10 bln sales from medi-tech segment

 

The following are the resistance and support levels for key pharmaceutical stocks for next week, as per calculations based on their prices on the National Stock Exchange:

 

Company	Price	Week-on-Week Change in %	Resistance	Support
Abbott India	26295.00	(-)0.60	26971.70	25911.70
Alkem Laboratories	5392.00	(-)0.20	5447.00	5301.00
Aurobindo Pharma	1158.80	1.20	1191.10	1132.90
Biocon	383.95	1.60	391.90	377.70
Cipla	1341.10	0.70	1354.70	1317.50
Divi's Laboratories	6291.00	2.00	6356.00	6219.00
Dr Reddy's Laboratories	1280.40	1.00	1300.00	1265.20
Gland Pharma	1821.70	2.30	1849.00	1799.80
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals	2596.90	0.10	2640.80	2536.20
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals	2043.20	2.30	2081.30	1980.10
Granules India	599.05	6.50	621.00	561.00
Ipca Laboratories	1449.80	(-)2.40	1479.10	1421.50
Laurus Labs	1019.00	0.80	1036.30	1004.30
Lupin	2219.40	0.90	2254.50	2192.90
Natco Pharma	891.70	8.20	905.10	871.30
Pfizer	4931.70	(-)2.10	5040.40	4858.80
Sanofi India	4026.10	(-)0.30	4067.40	3971.40
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries	1724.40	1.60	1738.70	1700.90
Torrent Pharmaceuticals	4241.70	4.00	4297.40	4147.60
Zydus Lifesciences	900.75	(-)0.40	912.10	892.70
Index	Levels
Nifty Pharma	22452.40	1.20	22624.00	22234.30
Nifty 50	25571.25	0.40	25822.00	25254.40
S&P Bse Sensex	82814.71	0.20	83643.50	81791.80

 

End

 

Reported by Eshitva Prakash

Edited by Saji George Titus 

 

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