MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: As semaglutide, the drug behind weight-loss drug Ozempic, goes off-patent in India and cheaper copies flood the market, Novo Nordisk has moved to defend its flagship brand, kicking off a fresh legal battle with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories over a rival name it says is too close for comfort.
The Danish drugmaker has approached the Delhi High Court to block Dr. Reddy’s from launching a generic version of semaglutide under the brand name “Olymviq”, arguing that it is phonetically and structurally similar to Ozempic and risks confusing patients and prescribers.
Hearing the matter on Wednesday, justice Jyoti Singh directed Dr. Reddy’s to halt the rollout of the brand, directly and indirectly, including manufacture, sales to distributors and final sales, until the case is heard on priority on Friday.
“It will freeze as of now. That’s it. Nobody moves it. The distributor doesn’t sell it into the market. You don’t send to the distributor, if it’s agreeable. That’s the solemn undertaking and assurance that you’re giving to the court. I don’t want any violations or any aberrations on that,” Singh remarked.
Singh also suggested that given the similarity, Dr. Reddy’s could consider making changes so that both parties are able to coexist in the market, noting that if the matter escalates, any stay order at a later stage could prove detrimental to the brand itself.
“I really will have to strain myself to find the difference — structurally, visually and phonetically,” Singh said. “I mean, the end result is that you go to the Division Bench and have my order set aside or stayed—that’s your right. But there will be a stay, businesses get affected, and these kinds of stay orders in the media have their own repercussions on a brand’s name and credibility. I would rather that you go down this path—make a little change in the name here and there, and both of you live peacefully.”
Generic rush
The dispute comes days after semaglutide, Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster drug for type-2 diabetes and obesity, lost patent exclusivity in India on 20 March, triggering a flood of launches at roughly half the cost. Novo sells it locally as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus.
According to Pharmarack, more than 50 generic versions are expected this year.
Dr. Reddy’s, among others, has already launched the drug as Obeda for type-2 diabetes. However, Novo alleged the company has rolled out promotional material for another brand, “Olymviq”, and is on “the cusp” of launching it.
Arguing for an injunction, Novo said the similarity would lead to confusion with the innovator brand, a “well-established first name because this is a coined and fanciful mark,” in use since 2014 in 100 countries.
Ozempic has generated $63 billion in global sales over the past five years, with $3.5 billion spent on promotion, counsel for Novo told the court. In India, where it was launched in December 2025, it has recorded ₹22 crore in sales, with ₹15 crore spent on promotion so far.
Amid the influx of generics, Novo is banking on brand recall and its reach with doctors to retain market share, and sought an immediate injunction, warning that Dr. Reddy’s would “flood the market” if not restrained.
Citing a 2022 dispute between Sun Pharma and Glenmark over the brands Instamet and Indamet, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Novo Nordisk, argued trademark protection is especially critical in pharmaceuticals.
“It was held that it is common knowledge that many prescriptions are telephoned and others are handwritten, and such handwriting is often illegible. These factors increase the chances of confusion or mistakes by pharmacists while filling prescriptions,” Singhvi argued.
Trademark battle
In response, senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, said semaglutide is not an impulse purchase but a specialized, prescription-based treatment under medical supervision, reducing the likelihood of confusion as multiple layers of professional judgment intervene.
Separately, Dr. Reddy’s filed for registration of the name “Olymviq” on 25 July 2025 and again on 23 March 2026, according to a review of India’s trademark registry.
The company is also locked in a separate legal dispute with Novo Nordisk over alleged patent infringement related to semaglutide since May 2025.
The patent expiry has opened the door for cheaper versions from Indian drugmakers including Sun Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences, Glenmark, Natco and Alkem, priced 50-90% below the innovator brands.
Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy are sold in pen devices and priced at ₹8,800 and ₹10,850 per month, respectively, for starting doses.
