India, March 20 -- India's pharma industry is ready to flex its generics muscle as the patent for a key ingredient of blockbuster weight-loss drugs expires today.

More than 40 Indian drugmakers are gearing up to launch over 50 brands that'll compete with Ozempic and Wegovy at half the price. The impending supply glut is expected to democratise access in a notoriously price-sensitive market, while raising concerns over regulatory oversight and the potential for widespread drug misuse.

The stakes are immense. India, the world's most populous nation, carries the second-highest diabetic burden globally after China-450 million of us may be obese or overweight by 2050, according to The Lancet. Pharmarack estimates India's obesity drug market ...