After Dr Reddy’s, Natco Pharma moves Delhi HC to revoke patent over semaglutide by Novo Nordisk in India

After Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Indian generic drug maker Natco Pharma has filed a fresh suit before the Delhi High Court seeking revocation of Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk’s patent over semaglutide, a medication used for managing Type-2 Diabetes.

Novo Nordisk’s patent is due to expire in March this year.

Justice Jyoti Singh of the High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Novo Nordisk seeking its response to Natco Pharma’s suit and will hear the suit on February 5.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) had moved the Delhi High Court last year under provisions of the Patents Act and the Commercial Courts Act seeking revocation of the Indian patent number ‘IN 262697’ granted in favour of Novo Nordisk.

The suit by Natco Pharma comes on the heels of the Delhi HC’s ruling last year in December, where it had come to a prima facie conclusion that DRL has put up a credible challenge to the validity of the patent over semaglutide held by Novo Nordisk in India.

DRL, which commenced manufacturing, was taken to court by Novo Nordisk, alleging infringement of its patent by the Indian firm. While the court has refused to explicitly restrain Indian drugmakers from manufacturing it in India, it has, however, restrained them from selling in India till the patent expires, leaving them with the option to export it to countries where Novo Nordisk does not hold a patent over the drug — such as in Canada. DRL, on the other hand, has further doubled down on the pharma giant and has sought that the patent granted to Novo Nordisk be revoked.

Senior advocate J Sai Deepak, appearing for Natco Pharma, told the court on Tuesday that the firm is on a better footing than the other Indian drugmakers, since they have approached the court before commencing manufacturing.

Notably, Novo Nordisk also has patent infringement suits pending at the Delhi HC against Alkem Laboratories, Sun Pharmaceuticals, and Zydus Lifesciences, along with DRL.

Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide products are covered by two main Indian patents: Indian Patent No 275964 covers the composition of semaglutide itself, filed in March 2006 and expired in September 2024; Indian Patent No 262697, which covers specific formulations and delivery devices designed to improve stability and administration. It was filed in March 2007 and is scheduled to expire in March 2026. Novo Nordisk launched its blockbuster semaglutide drug, Ozempic, for Type-2 diabetes in India in December last year.

The expiry of the basic composition patent in 2024 opened the door to potential generic development.

In an Indian stock exchange filing in October 2025 by Natco Pharma, it was announced that its partner, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc, and Novo Nordisk had reached a confidential settlement in the US patent litigation over Ozempic (Semaglutide). Natco and Mylan are partnering on the development of generic Ozempic products.

With Novo Nordisk’s patent expiring soon, and Novo Nordisk launching its Ozempic last month, the latest suit by Natco Pharma only hints at the Indian drugmakers’ race for getting a foot in the generic development of the drug. Apart from Type-2 diabetes, the semaglutide formulations have also been launched as a weight-loss drug in various jurisdictions globally and are now available as pills, apart from the injectables.