Lilly targets India as global export hub amid booming Mounjaro sales

Eli Lilly says it plans to use India as part of its global supply chain and to export locally made drugs, following a rapid rise in Mounjaro sales that doubled and became its top-selling medicine by value in India.

Eli Lilly has told Reuters it is looking to make India part of its global supply chain and to export locally produced medicines, as part of a previously announced $1 billion push into contract manufacturing in the country. The company does not currently operate its own manufacturing facility in India, and its executive spoke at the BioAsia conference in Hyderabad. Mounjaro, the weight-loss drug mentioned by the company, saw sales double within months of its Indian launch and became Lilly's top-selling medicine by value there. Lilly representatives said they intend to scale investment over time and to bring other products to India, subject to regulatory approvals. Key details: - Winselow Tucker, Lilly India's president, told Reuters the company is looking at India to be a hub and part of its global supply chain and to supply other markets. - Lilly has previously committed $1 billion to contract manufacturing in India and said it will continue to evaluate scaling that investment. - The article reports Mounjaro's sales doubled soon after launch and that the drug became Lilly's top-selling product by value in India. - Lilly plans to introduce additional products to India, including the Alzheimer’s drug donanemab and the experimental oral weight-loss candidate orforglipron, pending regulatory approvals. - The article mentions competition from Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy, and notes local firms are preparing cheaper generics ahead of a semaglutide patent expiry in India next month. - Lilly has widened distribution in India through partnerships with companies such as Cipla and with digital health platforms including Tata 1MG, Practo and Apollo. Summary: The reported plan could increase India's role in Lilly's global manufacturing and export operations and involve further scaling of the company's contract manufacturing investment. Undetermined at this time.