The drug is under distribution and will be in pharmacies by end of the month, said Vikrant Shrotriya, Novo Nordisk's India managing director. Wegovy will be launched in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.

Some new medications in development are also trying to solve for a persistent side effect of existing drugs: Patients who lose fat also tend to lose muscle. This can be particularly dangerous for older adults because it makes them more likely to fall and can worsen osteoporosis.

Amycretin helped patients lose over 24% of their weight, compared with an average of about 17% for Wegovy.