With Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy already in the market, Eli Lilly is stepping up its game with a patient-friendly pen device, intensifying the race for India's booming obesity drug market.

Eli Lilly said on Thursday that India's drug regulator had approved the launch of pre-filled injector pens of its blockbuster weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, giving it more options to compete with Novo Nordisk's recently launched Wegovy.

Eli Lilly's once-weekly KwikPen format for Mounjaro has been approved in India, offering an easier delivery system for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management