Aspen Pharmacare plans to enter the Canadian market with a generic version of Ozempic by the second or third quarter of 2026, following the expiry of patent protection on the drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, according to Reuters.
Chief Executive Stephen Saad told Reuters that regulatory feedback indicates approval could be granted between May and September, positioning Aspen among the early generic entrants in Canada. The company intends to supply the product from its manufacturing facilities in South Africa and France, with multi-dose pens produced locally and single-dose auto-injectors manufactured in Europe.
Saad noted that Canada serves as a key reference market for Aspen’s broader expansion strategy, particularly in Latin America and the Middle East, where regulators often look to Canadian approvals when evaluating generic medicines. CNBC Africa reported that securing clearance in Canada could accelerate the company’s global rollout plans.
The planned launch comes amid rising global demand for GLP-1 medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, increasing competition as patents expire and opening new opportunities for generic drugmakers.
Image Credit: reuters.com
