Eli Lilly plans to launch weight-loss drug in emerging markets this year

March 10 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly LLY.N plans to launch its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug in major emerging markets like India, Brazil and Mexico in the second half of 2025 as production capacity increases, its finance chief said on Monday.

Global demand for Lilly's and Danish rival Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO diabetes and weight-loss drugs has been extraordinary. The new launches present a big market opportunity as they are some of the most populous countries with soaring obesity rates.

"The size is significant. We're talking about 900 million patients that could benefit from Mounjaro," Chief Financial Officer Lucas Montarce told investors and analysts at the Leerink Partners Global Healthcare Conference.

"We plan to launch in new countries.. what we call big emerging market countries, that will drive significant growth into the latter part of the year, but also more into 2026."

In February last year, CEO David Ricks told Reuters that Lilly expects to launch Mounjaro in India as early as 2025.

Mounjaro, chemically known as tirzepatide, is currently sold in the UK and Europe under the same brand name for both diabetes and weightloss. However, it is sold as Zepbound for obesity in the U.S.

Lilly's drug had a limited launch in China last year, but the company expects a larger launch this year. Danish peer Novo Nordisk launched its popular obesity drug Wegovy in China in November last year.

"We continue to plan new launches as we continue to ramp up supply production," Montarce said.

Since 2020, the drugmaker has committed to spending more than $23 billion to scale up its manufacturing presence worldwide. Outside the U.S., the company has plants in Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Lilly has forecast total sales to be between $58 billion and $61 billion in 2025.