Delhi HC orders halt to ‘Olymviq’ promotion as Novo accuses Dr Reddy’s of breach

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to give an undertaking that it will not communicate or promote its generic semaglutide drug under the brand name “Olymviq” to doctors, patients or traders, after Novo Nordisk alleged continued use of the mark, which sounds similar to its flagship brand Ozempic, in violation of earlier court directions.

The direction came as the Danish drugmaker moved a fresh plea accusing Dr. Reddy’s of breaching its undertaking to discontinue the mark and transition to a new brand, Olymra, in their ongoing trademark dispute.

Justice Jyoti Singh, who heard the matter, expressed displeasure over the alleged non-compliance with her March 30 order. “I say this with great pain — I should have injuncted you,” she remarked to senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for Dr. Reddy’s, indicating that the court could have taken a stricter view instead of granting the company a 30-day window to clear its Olymviq stock.

The court also asked Dr. Reddy’s to file a fresh undertaking detailing the status of compliance since the March 30 order, which had asked the Hyderabad-based company to discontinue the use of the Olymviq name for its weight-loss drug and transition to a new brand, Olymra.

Senior advocate Amit Sibal, appearing for Novo Nordisk, argued that Dr. Reddy’s had not complied with the court’s earlier directions, which barred any use of the mark “Olymviq”. He submitted that the company continued to refer to the mark in communications to doctors, patients and members of the pharmaceutical trade under the guise of “facilitating transition” to the new brand. Novo argued that Dr. Reddy’s proposal to continue transition-related communication for an extended period would prolong the association between the two marks and dilute the distinctiveness of “Ozempic”.

According to Novo, such references amount to indirect promotion and continued use of a deceptively similar mark, which is not allowed under the court’s undertaking. Sibal argued that Dr. Reddy’s compliance affidavit is inadequate and weakens the restriction by suggesting the rules apply only after the 30-day stock clearance period.

A key concern raised by Novo was that linking “Olymviq” with the new brand “Olymra” in communications risks creating confusion among doctors and pharmacists, particularly in a therapeutic segment where prescribing accuracy is critical.

In response, Dr. Reddy’s counsel argued that the communication was part of educating doctors, patients and the trade about the transition to the new brand and ensuring continuity of treatment. However, Novo argued that there is no need to refer to the earlier mark to ensure continuity of treatment, especially as multiple semaglutide brands are already available in the market.

Novo also pointed to what it described as a “well-orchestrated” launch strategy by Dr. Reddy’s, alleging that the company had applied for trademark registration in 2025, manufactured limited batches in early 2026, and initiated a controlled rollout shortly before the litigation began.

Dispute background

The dispute centres on semaglutide, a blockbuster drug used to treat type-2 diabetes and manage weight, marketed globally by Novo Nordisk under brands such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. The drug went off-patent in India on 20 March, triggering a wave of lower-cost generic launches by domestic pharmaceutical companies, including Dr. Reddy’s.

On 30 March, the Delhi High Court had allowed Dr. Reddy’s to supply any remaining stock of its semaglutide drug “Olymviq” to government hospitals after the expiry of a 30-day stock clearance window. Justice Jyoti Singh had formally recorded the settlement between the parties, under which Dr. Reddy’s agreed to discontinue the “Olymviq” mark and transition to Olymra.

The undertaking applied not only to Dr. Reddy’s but also to its directors, affiliates and associated entities, all of which were required to cease manufacture, sale, supply, distribution, promotion and any commercial use of the impugned mark, both online and offline.

As part of the arrangement, Dr. Reddy’s was permitted to sell its existing inventory of Olymviq in the market for 30 days. Thereafter, any unsold stock could be supplied to government hospitals in the presence of a representative of Novo Nordisk.

Novo has argued that Ozempic is a coined and well-known mark with global sales exceeding $63 billion over the past five years, and that the use of similar names in the same therapeutic segment could dilute its brand and create confusion among patients and prescribers.

Dr. Reddy’s had filed trademark applications for Olymviq in July 2025 and again in March 2026, and has been engaged in a separate legal dispute with Novo Nordisk since May 2025 over alleged infringement of the semaglutide patent.

Dr. Reddy’s has been trying to gain a leg up in the increasingly competitive weight-loss drug market, which has expanded rapidly after Novo Nordisk lost the patent for semaglutide. Several drugmakers, including Dr Reddy’s, have launched generic versions at half the cost, and Novo Nordisk has in turn slashed its prices as well.

As of March 2026, the GLP-1 market had grown to ₹1,600 crore, from ₹527 crore last year, according to Pharmarack data. While Novo Nordisk maintained leadership last month, driven by established brands such as Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Ozempic, Indian pharmaceutical companies including Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Lifesciences, Lupin Limited, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, and Alkem Laboratories are rapidly building presence through multiple product launches, the data intelligence firm said in a report.