Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk on Tuesday launched its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy in India, three months after Eli Lilly began marketing its rival product Mounjaro in the world's most populous nation.

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 (NYSE:LLY) said on Thursday that India’s drug regulator has approved the launch of its Mounjaro pre-filled injector pens, expanding its options in the growing weight-loss drug market and stepping up competition with Novo Nordisk’s recently introduced Wegovy.