Eli Lilly's Mounjaro Drives Global Growth as India Becomes Strategic Manufacturing Hub

Eli Lilly wants to turn India into a hub for its global supply chain as part of its previously committed $1 billion investment to contract manufacturing in the country. Sales of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Mounjaro doubled within months of its launch in the South Asian country and became its top-selling medicine by value, underscoring the growing popularity of obesity treatments in a country projected to have the world's second-largest obese population by 2050.

The company, which does not currently operate its own manufacturing facility in India, plans to export locally produced drugs to markets across the world as part of its broader supply network, drawing on the country's robust contract manufacturing setup. The president and general manager stated the company will continue to look at that investment and scale that over time, declining to name contract manufacturers or discuss plans for a dedicated plant.

In Brazil's pharmaceutical retail market, Eli Lilly's revenue rose 611% year over year in 2025, the strongest growth among drugmakers surveyed last year. Sales at Eli Lilly surged more than sevenfold in Brazil's pharmaceutical retail market in 2025, the year the U.S. drugmaker launched its weight-loss injection Mounjaro in the country. The performance allowed the company to overtake Sanofi and claim sixth place in Brazil's pharmaceutical retail revenue ranking, which tracks the top 20 companies operating in the market.

According to a survey by FarmaBrasil, based on data from IQVIA, Brazil's pharmaceutical retail market generated approximately R$128.6 billion in revenue in 2025, up 12% from 2024. A report by Citi says the size of Brazil's tirzepatide market—the active ingredient in Mounjaro—is currently determined primarily by product availability rather than demand. Citi projects that Mounjaro sales will nonetheless help sustain robust growth in Brazil's GLP-1 market. In the baseline scenario, the total market could reach as much as R$36 billion in sales by 2030, driven not only by a recovery in Mounjaro sales, currently constrained by supply, but also by the expected democratization of access to semaglutide following the entry of generics in March 2026.

Eli Lilly's strong performance in Brazil in 2025 partly mirrors its global momentum. Last year, the company reached a global market capitalization of $1 trillion, becoming the first in the sector to hit that milestone. During the period, it posted net income of $20.7 billion, up 95% from 2024, while revenue rose 45% to $65.1 billion.

The company also plans to bring additional products to India, including its Alzheimer's drug donanemab and potential future obesity treatments such as its experimental oral weight-loss drug orforglipron, pending regulatory approvals. Lilly is focused on boosting digital and social media campaigns to raise obesity awareness and expand Mounjaro's reach in smaller Indian cities. It has widened its distribution beyond major metros through partnerships, such as with Indian drugmaker Cipla and with digital health platforms Tata 1MG, Practo and Apollo.

In India, Lilly competes with Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy. The world's most populous nation is set for a weight-loss drug boom this year as local firms race to launch cheaper, generic versions of Wegovy after Novo's patent on semaglutide expires in India next month. Novo cut Wegovy's price by up to 37% last year to defend market share.

The president and general manager dismissed concerns about Mounjaro facing similar pressure, saying the drug's composition offered superior efficacy and would keep it competitive. The company has priced it for value and believes it is priced appropriately.

Tirzepatide is sold under the brand name Mounjaro as diabetes drug and as Zepbound for obesity treatment. As pharmaceutical companies are attempting to raise awareness about obesity and urging Indians to consult their doctors for appropriate treatment, All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has asked its 12.4 lakh members – chemists, pharmacists, and distributors - to ensure that GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) class of obesity and diabetic medicines, including injectables, are sold strictly against valid prescription issued by a qualified medical practitioner.

In a letter on March 4, AIOCD president and general secretary warned that unsupervised use of GLP-1 medicines can lead to serious health complications and adverse effects. Urging the chemists to uphold ethical standards they wanted all chemists to not dispense GLP-1 drugs and injectables or any Scheduled Medicine without a valid and proper prescription. They also wanted the chemists to maintain proper records as required by law and not entertain telephonic, verbal or incomplete prescriptions. The letter warned that any deviation may invite strict regulatory action and damage the reputation of the pharmacy profession.