By Dalena Reporters l January 2, 2026
TORONTO — Starting next week, Canadian drug manufacturers will be legally permitted to produce generic versions of Ozempic — the blockbuster semaglutide medication widely used for **Type 2 diabetes and weight management — following the expiration of regulatory exclusivity and patent protections in Canada. However, experts and regulators caution that patients should not expect these generics to be available on pharmacy shelves immediately.
The shift comes after Health Canada signalled that it has received nine separate submissions from pharmaceutical companies seeking authorization to make generic semaglutide products. Among those with applications underway are Sandoz Canada, Apotex, Teva Canada, Taro Pharmaceuticals and Aspen Pharmacare Canada all positioning themselves to enter the market once approvals are granted.
Even though drugmakers can begin production in early January, a spokesperson for Health Canada noted that regulatory review timelines will determine when these products actually reach patients. Reviews for generic drug applications can take up to 180 days or more, and additional information requests from the regulator could delay approvals further.
Pharmaceutical policy experts say that, based on typical review timelines and the complexity of semaglutide medicines, Canadian patients are unlikely to see generic semaglutide products available until late spring or early summer 2026. Some observers project that generic semaglutide could be priced at roughly 35 per cent of the current brand cost once it becomes widely available, potentially easing the financial burden for people living with diabetes and obesity.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in both Ozempic and its sister product Wegovy was originally developed using complex biological processes. Generic versions, while pharmaceutically equivalent, may be produced through streamlined chemical methods, requiring manufacturers to demonstrate that these differences do not affect the medication’s safety, quality or effectiveness. This requirement adds an extra layer of scientific scrutiny to Health Canada’s approval process.
While physicians have welcomed the regulatory change as a potential breakthrough for affordability, they emphasise that availability will lag behind the legal ability to produce the drugs. Many patients currently on Ozempic cite high costs as a barrier to starting or continuing therapy, and the eventual competition from generics could provide significant cost relief.
For now, branded semaglutide products will remain the mainstay of treatment, with generic versions still undergoing review before Canadian regulators can approve their sale and distribution.