Eris Lifesciences, Natco Pharma ink pact on Semaglutide

Eris Lifesciences has forged a strategic partnership with Natco Pharma for commercialisation of semaglutide in India.

Eris Lifesciences announcement, on Tuesday, comes in the backdrop of Natco Pharma recently receiving Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approval to manufacture semaglutide for the Indian market.

The approval paves way for a launch expected in March 2026. The product will target Type 2 diabetes management aligning with unmet needs in India’s expanding metabolic care landscape, Eris said.

Eris, Natco Pharma figure among a clutch of Indian drugmakers gearing up for the patent expiry on Semaglutide next month in the country.

A GLP-1 receptor agonist, Semaglutide has emerged globally as a transformative therapy in the management of Type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. It is an active ingredient in Danish multinational Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy and diabetes drug Ozempic.

Eris Lifesciences CMD Amit Bakshi said the company it had been proactively preparing its commercial strategy to participate meaningfully in the GLP-1 opportunity and views this partnership as a long-term value driver for the company.

“Semaglutide represents one of the most significant therapeutic advances in metabolic care in recent years. This partnership [with Natco] reflects our continued commitment to strengthening our diabetes franchise with innovative and high-impact therapies,” he said.

The collaboration builds on Eris’s robust commercial and diabetes franchise presence and Natco’s manufacturing and regulatory prowess in complex formulations, the company said.

A Natco leadership team had told an investor call recently that the company is positive about Semaglutide launch though the market is expected to be extremely competitive in view of several generics. It said for the India market, Natco will be outsourcing the production to a fill finish source. Besides launching its own brand, Natco will be also outsourcing the product to two other entities.