India To Manufacture Drugs For Diabetes and Obesity Under PLI

The government is set to present a production-linked incentive (PLI) program in 2026 for domestic manufacturing of GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs that are utilized for treating diabetes and obesity, according to sources.

The anti-obesity medication  market can touch $100 billion by 2030, as indicated by a report by Goldman Sachs Exploration. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., India's largest pharmaceutical company, is developing its own weight-loss product. Meanwhile, Cipla Ltd. and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. are developing generic drugs for weight loss.

Biocon Ltd. and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. are concentrating on generic versions of an older treatment for obesity, specifically an injectable form of liraglutide that is marketed by Novo Nordisk under the brand name Saxenda. Today, the main population is close to 22% overweight, 23% of the female population is close to 23%, and children are close to 11% overweight.

According to a study that was published in The Lancet, India would be third in the world in terms of the number of obese people as of 2022, behind only China and the United States. The rising consumption of junk food is attributed to the rise in obesity rates. Market surveying firm IMARC Group anticipates that the nation has around 80 million obese and 225 million overweight people. Over 11% of Indians over the age of 20 were diagnosed with diabetes, and another 15% were pre-diabetic, according to a study. In addition, chronic kidney disease has emerged as India's eighth leading cause of death.