Dr Reddy’s told the Delhi High Court it will rename its semaglutide drug from ‘Olymviq’ to ‘Olymra’ after the court raised concerns over similarity with ‘Ozempic’. The case comes as India opens its market to generic semaglutide, leading to rising trademark disputes among drugmakers.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has informed the Delhi High Court that it will change the name of its semaglutide drug from ‘Olymviq’ to ‘Olymra’, after the court observed that the earlier name could create confusion in the pharmaceutical market.
The development came during a hearing in a trademark dispute involving the brand name of the drug, which is used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and weight management. The court noted that the name ‘Olymviq’ appeared to be phonetically and visually similar to ‘Ozempic’, a well-known semaglutide drug sold by Novo Nordisk, and such similarity could create confusion among doctors, pharmacists and patients.
During the proceedings, Dr. Reddy’s told the Delhi High Court that it would propose a new brand name, and accordingly decided to rename the drug ‘Olymra’.
The issue arose at a time when India has opened the market for generic versions of semaglutide after the expiry of the relevant patent, leading to increased competition among pharmaceutical companies and also resulting in disputes related to branding and trademarks.
Dr. Reddy’s also informed the court that it is the first Indian company to receive approval from the Drugs Controller General of India for generic semaglutide. The company had earlier launched its injectable semaglutide under the brand name ‘Obeda’, which marked a major step towards making advanced diabetes treatment more accessible and affordable in India.
“With this launch, we aim to expand access to advanced diabetes therapies and address unmet patient needs in India,”
said Erez Israeli, Chief Executive Officer of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
The Delhi High Court had earlier directed the company to stop the rollout and sale of the drug under the name ‘Olymviq’ after concerns were raised regarding its similarity with Novo Nordisk’s ‘Ozempic’. Novo Nordisk sells semaglutide under different brand names including Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus in global markets.
The court highlighted that even a small similarity in the name of a medicine can be dangerous in the medical field because it may lead to confusion and result in patients receiving the wrong medicine.
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The case is significant because it highlights the importance of trademark laws in the pharmaceutical sector, where brand names must be clearly distinguishable to avoid confusion and protect patient safety. It also shows how Indian courts closely examine pharmaceutical trademarks, especially when life-saving or critical medicines are involved.
Meanwhile, shares of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories fell by around 2 per cent and were trading at approximately Rs 1,274.75 on the Bombay Stock Exchange during the day, following the developments in the case. The matter is part of the larger legal and commercial battle in India’s fast-growing market for semaglutide drugs, which are increasingly being used for diabetes treatment as well as weight management.
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