Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd has launched injectable semaglutide under the brand name Obeda®, marking an important step in expanding access to advanced GLP‑1 receptor agonist–based therapy for the management of type 2 diabetes in India.
Dr. Reddy’s has been the first Indian company to receive Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approval for generic semaglutide.
This launch underscores the company’s day‑1 entry into the segment upon patent expiry, demonstrating its readiness to serve unmet patient needs in India.
India faces one of the world’s largest diabetes burdens, with over 101 million adults living with the condition, according to the ICMR‑INDIAB study.
The study estimates diabetes prevalence at 11.4%, with nearly four in ten adults experiencing abdominal obesity.
An additional 136 million individuals are estimated to be pre‑diabetic, placing them at high risk of developing the disease.
In such a scenario, semaglutide, a GLP‑1 receptor agonist, has a globally proven track record in improving glycaemic control and supporting weight management when used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
In a head‑to‑head phase 3 clinical study enrolling 312 participants, Dr. Reddy’s Obeda® established non‑inferior efficacy and a safety profile comparable to the innovator drug. It showed similar glycaemic reduction.
Additionally, comparable results were observed for fasting glucose control, post‑prandial glucose control, and therapeutic glycaemic response (achieving HbA1c <7.0%) at the end of the study.
No anti‑drug antibodies were detected, and the immunogenicity profile was similar to that of the innovator drug. With both API development and manufacturing, as well as formulation development conducted entirely in‑house, Obeda® reflects Dr. Reddy’s strength in complex product development and peptide science.
It also showcases the company’s decade‑long expertise in peptide technology and its commitment to bringing GLP‑1 therapies to market to ensure access to high‑quality, affordable medicines and addressing India’s evolving healthcare needs.
As part of its future plans for GLP-1 therapies, the company will be looking at a fully integrated API and formulation approach, encompassing both development and manufacturing in-house.
Dr. Reddy’s Obeda® injection is available in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths and comes in a pre‑filled, disposable pen designed for subcutaneous, once‑a-week administration, with robust cold‑chain integrity maintained throughout distribution. Each pen of both strengths will deliver a minimum of four weekly doses.
