In May, Canada became the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight‑loss drug Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic. The generic, produced by Indian‑based Dr Reddy’s and Canadian firm Apotex, will be available in pharmacies by the start of June at less than a third of the price paid for the brand‑name versions.
Retired Ottawa teacher Elizabeth Doran, who had used Wegovy to reverse pre‑diabetes, says she has spent up to C$500 a month in copays before switching to the cheaper generic. “I was one decimal point away from being diabetic,” she told the BBC. Her new drug will help her keep her weight down and protect her heart and kidneys.
Canada’s generic approval follows an earlier wave of low‑cost versions in India that forced Novo Nordisk to cut Ozempic and Wegovy prices by almost 50%. In the United States, the patent on semaglutide remains on the books until December 2031, and manufacturers may extend regulatory exclusivity for several years, officials say. US activist Tahir Amin of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge fears that Americans will not see a generic until 2032.
Dr Reddy’s CEO Erez Israeli says the company is applying for approval in more than 80 countries, including South America, Africa and most of Asia, but not the US, UK or Europe. Apotex, meanwhile, has a tentative FDA approval but is unable to sell its generic in the US this year, CEO Martin Arès says.
As Canadian patients benefit from lower costs, the generic may spur cross‑border purchases. In 2019 a group of Americans bused to Canada for cheaper insulin, and in 2023 British Columbia cut subsidies for US buyers of Ozempic after many prescriptions were sold to US customers through Canadian online pharmacies.
For Americans, the current landscape means that only wealthier patients can afford GLP‑1 drugs; the highest‑priced Ozempic can exceed $1,000 a month. The Canadian generic, should it reach the U.S. market, could dramatically shift the market but would still face the long‑term patent litigation and regulatory hurdles that keep access out of reach until at least 2032.
