Reading Canada

TORONTO, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Apotex Inc. ("Apotex" or the "Company"), Canada's largest Canadian‑based global health company, today announced that Health Canada has approved Apo‑Semaglutide InjectionTM, a generic equivalent of Ozempic® (semaglutide injection). Canada has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Canada.

Key facts

• TORONTO, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Apotex Inc. ("Apotex" or the "Company"), Canada's largest Canadian‑based global health company, today announced that Health Canada has approved Apo‑Semaglutide InjectionTM, a generic equivalent of Ozempic® (semaglutide injection).
• Canada is the first G7 country to authorize generic semaglutide.
• Health Canada has approved the second generic version of brand-name Ozempic, this one manufactured by Canadian company Apotex.
• “Like existing products, this semaglutide injection is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to manage blood sugar levels,” Health Canada’s press release states.
• Canada is the first of the G7 countries to authorize generic semaglutide.

What we know

Going deeper, Canada is the first G7 country to authorize generic semaglutide.

On the substance, Health Canada has approved the second generic version of brand-name Ozempic, this one manufactured by Canadian company Apotex.

Beyond the headlines, Canada is the first of the G7 countries to authorize generic semaglutide.

More precisely, when there are three or more generic products available in Canada, the cost would decrease to about 35 per cent of brand-name Ozempic's price.

It is worth noting that Health Canada approves 1st generic version of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic.

By the numbers

“Like existing products, this semaglutide injection is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to manage blood sugar levels,” Health Canada’s press release states.

On a related note, Health Canada approves 1st needle-free epinephrine treatment for severe allergic reactions.

Going deeper, Apo-Semaglutide Injection will be the first Canadian generic equivalent to offer both the 2 mg/pen (0.68mg/mL) and 4 mg/pen (1.34 mg/mL) pen formats commercially, aligning with all brand equivalent SKUs.

On the substance, In Canada, Apo‑Semaglutide Injection (semaglutide injection) is indicated for the once‑weekly treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control, in combination with diet and exercise.

What they're saying

“When Health Canada approves a generic version of a drug, they go through a very rigorous process and ensure that the drug that they’re approving is as close to the original drug chemically as it can possibly be,” he said.

“The numbers I’ve heard are anywhere from like $40 to $80,” Dana Small, a neurology and neurosurgery professor at McGill University, said to Global News. “That’s a major decrease in cost.”

The wider context

On a related note, /PRNewswire/ - Apotex Inc. ("Apotex" or the "Company"), Canada's largest Canadian‑based global health company, today announced that Health Canada has approved...

Going deeper, the second generic version of semaglutide — the medication in brand-name drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro — has been approved by Health Canada, this one manufactured by Canadian company Apotex.

On the substance, For more than 50 years, Apotex has played a central role in supporting the sustainability of Canada's healthcare system.

Beyond the headlines, 1 Product Monograph: More precisely, the price of Mounjaro ranges between $300 and $550 per month in Canada.

The bottom line

• When there are three or more generic products available in Canada, the cost would decrease to about 35 per cent of brand-name Ozempic's price.
• The second generic version of semaglutide — the medication in brand-name drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro — has been approved by Health Canada, this one manufactured by Canadian company Apotex.
• The price of Mounjaro ranges between $300 and $550 per month in Canada.