Generic Ozempic can be made in Canada as of next week. Will it be cheaper?
Global News
As of Dec. 29, Health Canada had received nine submissions seeking approval to make semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Drug companies in Canada are allowed to make lower priced generic versions of the blockbuster drug Ozempic as of next week, but experts say patients shouldn’t expect it to be available for at least a few months.
As of Dec. 29, Health Canada had received nine submissions seeking approval to make semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, the brand-name diabetes and weight-loss drugs manufactured by Novo Nordisk.
“Health Canada understands that there is considerable interest in lowering costs associated with this highly prescribed drug by introducing generic versions,” spokesperson Mark Johnson said in an email to The Canadian Press.
Sandoz Canada, Apotex, Teva Canada, Taro Pharmaceuticals and Aspen Pharmacare Canada have all applied for Health Canada authorization, according to its list of generic submissions.
Sandoz Canada and Teva Canada told The Canadian Press they couldn’t provide any information on expected timelines for their products, while the others either could not be reached or did not respond to requests for comment.
The remaining companies weren’t named because their submissions were received prior to April 1, 2024, when the policy requiring a sponsor name changed, Johnson said.
Mina Tadrous, a pharmaceutical policy expert at the University of Toronto, said a generic semaglutide medication is unlikely to be approved until late spring or early summer.
“Canadians should not be expecting a product in January,” he said.
