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Novo Nordisk drags Sun Pharma to Delhi High Court in renewed semaglutide patent battle

Novo Nordisk’s challenge against Sun Pharma shifts the focus to other domestic drugmakers eyeing the lucrative GLP-1 market. By seeking to halt Sun Pharma’s activities, Novo aims to prevent the broader entry of generics before its remaining patents lapse.

• By Newsdesk
• New Delhi
• Dec 09, 2025

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Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has once again moved the Delhi High Court, this time against Sun Pharmaceutical Industries seeking to restrain the company from dealing in semaglutide, the active ingredient used in its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drugs.

Sun Pharma is among several Indian pharmaceutical companies preparing to introduce generic versions of semaglutide, a market projected to grow sharply amid rising global demand. Novo Nordisk’s latest petition highlights its efforts to protect the last leg of its patent rights in India, which are due to expire in March 2026.

Court’s earlier verdict in related case

The dispute follows a recent High Court ruling where the bench, led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, refused to restrict Dr Reddy’s Laboratories from manufacturing and exporting semaglutide. The court found merit in the argument that Novo Nordisk had already held a broad “genus” patent covering GLP-1 derivatives including semaglutide which expired in September 2024.

The subsequent “species” patent specifically covering semaglutide and its formulations was viewed as an attempt to extend exclusivity, raising concerns around “double patenting” or patent “evergreening.”

As a result, Dr Reddy’s has been permitted to produce semaglutide in India solely for export to countries where the product is no longer under patent protection, while domestic sales remain prohibited until 2026.

Implications for Sun Pharma and the generics landscape

Novo Nordisk’s challenge against Sun Pharma shifts the focus to other domestic drugmakers eyeing the lucrative GLP-1 market. By seeking to halt Sun Pharma’s activities, Novo aims to prevent the broader entry of generics before its remaining patents lapse.

For Indian pharmaceutical companies including Sun Pharma, Cipla, Mankind Pharma and Dr Reddy’s the recent court decisions have provided a partial opening for exports, but their ambitions in the Indian market remain dependent on ongoing litigation.

With obesity and diabetes rates surging across India, demand for GLP-1 therapies such as semaglutide continues to climb. As the legal battle escalates, the industry is closely watching how the courts shape the timeline for more affordable generic versions to enter the domestic market.

(Source: CNBC TV18)