By Rishika Sadam

HYDERABAD, June 26 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly ( LLY ) 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.

Lilly started selling Mounjaro in India in late March for

diabetes and obesity, and it was so far available only in 2.5 mg

and 5 mg vials.

"With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro

will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized

approach to treatment," Lilly India President Winselow Tucker

said.

Mounjaro KwikPen, for once-weekly use, has been approved by

the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for six dose

strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg, the

company said in a statement.

The approval will help the company compete more effectively

with Denmark's Novo Nordisk, which launched Wegovy in

India on Tuesday in multiple dose strengths and an "easy-to-use"

pen device.

The world's most populous country offers a big opportunity

for weight-loss drugmakers, given a rapid rise in diabetes and

obesity cases. India ranks among the top three countries

globally for high obesity rates, according to a study published

in the medical journal the Lancet.

Lilly did not give details on the pricing, although each pen

will have four fixed doses of 0.6 ml.

The drugs belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1

receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow

digestion, making people feel fuller for longer.

In the domestic market, the companies will face

competition from generic drugmakers racing to make cheaper

versions of Wegovy as its active ingredient, semaglutide, goes

off patent next year in India.

($1 = 85.8340 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam; Editing by Anil D'Silva)