This one is manufactured by Canadian company Apotex
Health Canada has approved the second generic version of brand-name Ozempic, this one manufactured by Canada's largest domestically based pharmaceutical company company Apotex Inc., as per several news sources. This marks the first time a Canadian company has been authorized to produce a generic equivalent of Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic.
The authorization comes just three days after Health Canada approved the submission for a generic semaglutide injection by Indian drugmaker Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. After a "thorough review of evidence," Health Canada said it found that the drug met safety, efficacy and quality standards.
Apotex confirmed the approval in a news release Friday.
"As a Canadian‑based global health company, we are proud to bring forward a high‑quality, affordable alternative that supports patients, prescribers, and the long‑term sustainability of our healthcare system," said Martin Arès, President, Apotex Canada and Rest of World (ROW).
The company said it plans to launch the product "in the very near future," though a specific date has not been disclosed.
Apo-Semaglutide Injection will be available in two prefilled pen formats — a 2 mg pen delivering 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg doses and a 4 mg pen delivering 1 mg doses — making it the first Canadian generic to offer both configurations commercially. The product is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control alongside diet and exercise.
The generic was developed in partnership with Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies, a peptide-focused drug development firm. Both companies collaborated to meet Health Canada's regulatory standards for peptide medicines, a category that has drawn increasing scrutiny as the market for GLP-1 therapies expands globally.
