Health Canada approves generic Ozempic from Apotex, country’s largest drug maker
Health Canada has approved Apotex Inc. to sell a generic version of Ozempic, making it the first company with domestic manufacturing capabilities to receive approval. The generic semaglutide is expected to become available in pharmacies soon, offering a more affordable alternative to the brand-name drug. Apotex also has tentative approval from the U.S. FDA, though sales in the U.S. are delayed due to patent protections extending to 2032.
- ▪Apotex Inc. is the first company with manufacturing operations in Canada to receive Health Canada approval for generic semaglutide.
- ▪Dr. Reddy Laboratories Ltd. was the first company overall to receive approval for a generic version earlier in the week.
- ▪Generic semaglutide is expected to be priced at 50% of the brand-name drug’s cost once two versions are on the market.
- ▪The current list price for brand-name Ozempic is $228 for a four-week supply before markups.
- ▪Four other manufacturers have pending applications with Health Canada to produce generic semaglutide.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Open this photo in gallery:Ozempic pens sit on the production line at Novo Nordisk's facility in Hillerod, Denmark.Tom Little/ReutersShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountApotex Inc., Canada’s largest drug manufacturer, has won Health Canada approval to sell a generic form of the blockbuster Ozempic.Apotex is the second company to get an approval, after India’s Dr. Reddy Laboratories Ltd. earlier this week, but the first that has manufacturing presence in Canada.The two approvals come nearly four months after generic versions of Ozempic became legal, a delay longer than many manufacturers and patients had been hoping for.Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, is most commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Globe and Mail
