Biocon rolled out its generic Liraglutide in the UK on February 28, 2025, marking it as the first generic version of this GLP-1 drug to reach a major regulated market. Approved by the UK’s MHRA in March 2024, it’s branded “Liraglutide Biocon” for diabetes and “Biolide” for chronic weight management—a nod to Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda, whose UK patent expires in November 2025. This launch positions Biocon as a frontrunner in the booming obesity drug race.

CEO Siddharth Mittal sees GLP-1 drugs like Liraglutide as a cornerstone for growth, targeting the $100 billion obesity market by 2030. Beyond the UK, Biocon’s teamed up with Handok in South Korea ($47 million market, May 2024) and Medix in Mexico ($37 million market, May 2024) to push Liraglutide. They’ve filed with U.S. and EU regulators too, while talks with Indian authorities aim to fast-track a local debut by skipping trials—no firm date yet.

Liraglutide trails semaglutide heavyweights like Wegovy (15% weight loss) with a modest 5-10% reduction, but its generic pricing could democratize access. Biocon’s not resting—15 peptide drugs are in development, with one or two nearing approval this year. X posts today buzzed about the UK milestone, though analysts note global rollout and India’s timeline are still up in the air.

This isn’t just a one-off—Biocon’s pivoting hard into peptides as obesity treatments soar in demand. With Saxenda’s patent walls crumbling, their early move could shake up affordability worldwide. For now, it’s a UK win, but the bigger play’s unfolding as we speak.