India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organization approved Novo Nordisk's drug Wegovy for the treatment of non-cirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in adults [1].
This regulatory move provides a new pharmaceutical path for patients struggling with MASH, a severe form of fatty liver disease that can lead to permanent organ damage if left untreated. The approval expands the use of GLP-1 therapies beyond weight loss and diabetes into chronic liver care.
The approved dosage for this indication is semaglutide injection 2.4 mg [1]. According to the regulator, Wegovy is the first GLP-1 therapy cleared in India for treating adults with non-cirrhotic MASH and moderate-to-advanced liver fibrosis [2].
Medical professionals note that the drug is intended to be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. The approval offers a new treatment option for adults with MASH, alongside a calorie-controlled diet and increased physical activity, a health analyst said [3].
The need for such treatments is significant within the region. A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said that about two in three people in India have fatty liver disease [4].
By targeting MASH, the drug aims to reduce liver inflammation and fibrosis in patients who have not responded to lifestyle changes alone. The CDSCO's decision marks a shift in how metabolic liver diseases are managed in the Indian healthcare system, moving toward targeted hormonal therapies [2].
“Wegovy is the first GLP-1 therapy cleared in India for treating adults with non-cirrhotic MASH”
The approval of Wegovy for MASH in India signals a growing clinical trend of repurposing GLP-1 agonists to treat systemic metabolic failures. Given the high prevalence of fatty liver disease in the Indian population, this creates a massive new market for Novo Nordisk while potentially reducing the long-term burden of liver failure and transplants in the region.
