The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, May 2, edition that Apotex has won Health Canada approval to sell a generic form of the Novo Nordisk's blockbuster Ozempic.
The Globe's Chris Hannay and Kelly Grant write that Apotex is the second manufacturer to get an approval, after India's Dr. Reddy's Laboratories earlier last week, but it is the first headquartered in Canada.
Generic versions of semaglutide have been legal in Canada as of Jan. 5. Apotex Canada president Martin Ares said their version of semaglutide is expected to be on pharmacy shelves within the next few weeks.
Ozempic is by far the best-selling drug in Canada, with $2.9-billion in sales in 2025. That's more than three times the next best-selling drug.
Demand has skyrocketed in recent years, with more than a million Canadians currently on the drug, and use is expected to go even higher as cheaper generic versions become available.
Generic pricing in Canada is set out in a framework agreed to by the industry and public health plans through a body called the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance.
When two generic products are available, their price is 50 per cent of the brand-name price, dropping to 35 per cent with three or more competitors.
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