By Rishika Sadam

(Reuters) -Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said the response for its blockbuster drug Mounjaro has been "positive" in India, adding that it is focusing on meeting demand for the drug in the world's most populous country.

The U.S.-based Lilly beat rival Novo Nordisk in March this year to introduce its diabetes and weight-loss drug in India, which is grappling with an increasing disease burden among its population of 1.4 billion.

Mounjaro has sold more than 81,570 units in India, totalling about 239.4 million rupees ($2.76 million) as of May, with the drug logging a 60% rise in overall sales between April and May, according to data from research firm PharmaTrac.

With its mass-market pricing, Mounjaro could become a mainstay in obesity and diabetes management in India, PharmaTrac said.

The global demand for Lilly's Mounjaro and Novo's version Wegovy has skyrocketed in the last few years, even leading to shortages in a few countries, including the U.S.

"Since 2020, Lilly has invested over $50 billion to increase production capacity (for global supply). We remain fully committed to meeting the demand for our medicines across the country," the company said on Thursday.

Obesity and diabetes rates have been steadily climbing in India. A government survey conducted between 2019 and 2021 showed 24% of women and nearly 23% of men aged 15 to 49 were overweight or obese, up from 20.6% and 19%, respectively, in 2015-2016.

In addition, the number of adults with diabetes is projected to increase to more than 124 million by 2045 from 74.2 million in 2021, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Indian drugmakers are now racing to develop cheaper versions of the weight-loss drugs to grab a share of the market estimated to be around $150 billion by the early 2030s.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, is likely to go off-patent in 2026 in India.

($1 = 86.6125 Indian rupees)