The court also asked Dr Reddy’s to inform it by Friday whether it is willing to drop the “Olymviq” brand name, as the matter centres around alleged trademark similarity with Novo Nordisk’s widely known drug Ozempic.
The Delhi High Court has orally directed Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories on Wednesday to halt the market launch and sales of its drug branded as “Olymviq” until Friday, in a trademark dispute with Novo Nordisk.
The court also asked Dr Reddy’s to inform it by Friday whether it is willing to drop the “Olymviq” brand name, as the matter centres around alleged trademark similarity with Novo Nordisk’s widely known drug Ozempic.
This comes after the High Court earlier this month backed Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in its legal dispute with Novo Nordisk regarding the export and manufacture of semaglutide, a key ingredient for drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy that are used in diabetes and chronic weight management respectively.
During the hearing, the Delhi High Court flagged the phonetic and visual similarity between the names “Olymviq” and “Ozempic”, and said the similarity could potentially lead to consumer confusion, particularly in the pharmaceutical market where brand names play a critical role in prescriptions and dispensing.
Novo Nordisk has alleged that the name “Olymviq” is deceptively similar to “Ozempic” and has sought an injunction to restrain Dr Reddy’s from using the brand name. The company argued that such similarity could create confusion among patients, pharmacists, and doctors.
The court issued an interim direction restricting the launch and sale of Olymviq and asked Dr Reddy’s to respond to the allegations. The court clarified that the case is centred on trademark similarity and brand confusion, and not a patent dispute.
Ozemvic, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, is a widely used diabetes drug that is also prescribed for weight loss in many markets, making the brand highly recognisable globally.
The matter has been listed for further hearing in the coming days, and the court is expected to take a view after hearing Dr Reddy’s response on the branding issue.
