India's Cheap Weight-Loss Drugs Could Reshape Global Obesity Fight India could soon get a lot thinner—at least in theory. On Friday, the patent on semaglutide, the molecule behind Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's blockbuster weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, expires in the country. This will allow domestic pharmaceutical companies to release cheaper copies or generics, triggering a rush of competition that could slash prices by more than half and rapidly expand access for people in India, and eventually in other countries too. Investment bank Jefferies has called it a potential "magic-pill moment" for India, predicting the semaglutide market could eventually reach $1bn domestically with the right pricing and uptake. Analysts expect around 50 branded semaglutide generics to enter the market within months—a familiar pattern in India's fiercely competitive pharmaceutical industry. When the diabetes drug sitagliptin went off patent in 2022, about 30 branded versions appeared within a month and nearly 100 within a year. India's pharmaceutical industry, currently worth about $60bn, is expected to double by 2030. Much of it is built on generics—a manufacturing muscle that now sets the stage for fierce competition over semaglutide. What has until now been an expensive injection largely confined to affluent patients could soon become far more common. Originally developed to treat diabetes, these drugs are now being hailed as game changers for weight loss, offering results that few previous treatments could match. Semaglutide belongs to a class of medicines known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic a hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar. By boosting insulin release and slowing the emptying of the stomach, the drugs make people feel full sooner and stay full longer.#india #novonordisk #semaglutide #jefferies #cipla
Benchmark Indices Plunge as Investor Wealth Plummets On Thursday, March 19, major benchmark indices experienced a sharp decline, resulting in the loss of over ₹9 lakh crore in investor wealth. The Nifty 50 index saw most of its constituents trade in the red, with five companies hitting 52-week lows. These declines affected several key players in the Indian market, including some of the largest firms. HDFC Bank's shares reached a 52-week low of ₹770, marking a 24.5% drop from their previous peak of ₹1,020.5. The stock closed 4% lower on the day and has fallen 18% year-to-date. The banking giant's shares have also declined 7% over the past 12 months. Cipla's shares fell nearly 2% on Thursday, extending its 2026 losses to 17%. The stock hit a new 52-week low, dropping 25.65% from its peak of ₹1,673. It has also declined 21% in the last six months, with its current price at ₹1,243.80. ITC's shares fell over 1% on Thursday, hitting intraday and 52-week lows of ₹299.55. The stock is now down 33% from its 52-week high of ₹444.20. It has declined 17% so far this year, with most of the losses occurring in the early days of 2026. The stock has also dropped 25% over the past 12 months. Kotak Mahindra Bank's shares hit their 52-week low of ₹363.35 after falling over 3% from Wednesday's closing price. The stock has corrected 21% from its 52-week high of ₹460.38. For the year so far, the stock is down nearly 17%, with negative returns of 9% over the last 12 months. Hindustan Unilever Ltd.'s shares traded nearly 2% lower on Thursday, reaching a 52-week low of ₹2,097. The stock had previously peaked at ₹2,750 on September 4 last year, from which it has corrected 23.75%. It has declined 9.6% year-to-date and dropped 18% over the last six months. Bajaj Finserv's shares hit their 52-week low of ₹1,723.#nifty_50 #kotak_mahindra_bank #hdfc_bank #cipla #itc
