Iranian pharmaceutical giant Cobel Darou has introduced the weight-loss and diabetes drug semaglutide to the Iranian market under the brand name “Velorita”, it claimed on February 23.

Semaglutide, originally developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and sold globally as Wegovy, works by increasing insulin secretion, reducing glucagon levels, slowing gastric emptying and creating a feeling of fullness.

Officially, sales of Wegovy and Ozempic by Eli Lilly are not available in the Iranian market; however, reports on the ground suggest they are available in select locations through third-party distributors.

The localised version, one of the first outside of Western pharmaceutical companies, is administered by injection once a week, the company claimed, and is developed in conjunction with a Canadian company; however, IntelliNews could not verify this claim.

Cobel Darou said clinical data showed the drug produces weight reductions of up to 15% in overweight or obese patients, accompanied by a significant reduction in cardiovascular complications.

In patients with type 2 diabetes, it reduces HbA1c levels by between 1.4% and 2.2%, with additional benefits for kidney and liver conditions.

The company said licensed production of Velorita within Iran has already begun, with a domestically manufactured version expected to be available shortly.

The technology transfer process to Cobel Darou began two years ago, alongside investment in domestic production infrastructure by local investors.

Cobel Darou cited Iranian health data showing six in every 10 Iranians are affected by obesity or excess weight, while globally, more than one billion people, roughly one in eight, were living with obesity in 2022. The company added that obesity accounts for more than 30,000 deaths annually in Iran.

Cobel Darou is a member of the Cobel Group and has operated for more than 20 years in the licensed pharmaceutical production and import business.

The launch follows the group's earlier introduction of tirzepatide, sold under the brand name ZCorpa, by its affiliate Dr Abidi Pharmaceuticals.

IntelliNews was unable to independently verify whether Velorita is a licensed product in Canada. No generic semaglutide product has yet received Health Canada approval as of February 2026, with several applications still under regulatory review.