At a fraction of the cost of Ozempic, generic semaglutide to hit Canadian pharmacies this week

The injectable drug Ozempic. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

TORONTO —Two generic versions of Ozempic are set to start arriving in Canadian pharmacies this week, which means patients who use the drug to treat diabetes or for weight loss may have more options for a fraction of the cost.

Health Canada approved both Dr. Reddy’s and Apotex’s generic semaglutide -- the active ingredient in brand-name Ozempic -- about three weeks ago.

Apotex is based in Canada and said it began shipping its product on Tuesday.

India-based Dr. Reddy’s said in an email that its semaglutide has already arrived in “select” Canadian pharmacies and will be available more widely across the country in the coming days.

Apotex said its generic semaglutide will be approximately one-third the price of Novo Nordisk’s brand-name Ozempic.

A spokesperson for Dr. Reddy’s did not disclose pricing details except to say that it will be “competitive.”

Ozempic can currently cost hundreds of dollars a month.

Felix, an online health-care and pharmacy platform, said it was launching lower-cost semaglutide on Thursday for $150 a month.

Both Ozempic and the generic semaglutide products are approved by Health Canada for management of diabetes, but some doctors prescribe it off-label for weight loss.

According to the pricing structure of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, when two generic medications enter the market, they are at least 50 per cent cheaper than the brand name -- but companies can price them lower.

Vital, Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain alliance, confirmed that generic semaglutide products are on their way to pharmacies but are going through distributors first.

“Patients should be aware that availability may vary across regions as products move through the supply chain to Canada’s more than 10,000 pharmacies,” a spokesperson for Vital said in an emailed statement.

“Manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies are working collaboratively to ensure supply reaches patients safely and securely, and as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson for Rexall said the company expects a shipment of generic semaglutide by the end of the week.

Shoppers Drug Mart’s spokesperson said in an email that “inventory is beginning to arrive at our distribution centres and select Shoppers Drug Mart locations.”

“We expect availability to continue expanding across Canada through the end of this week and into next. Timing may vary by province and individual store.”

Mina Tadrous, a pharmaceutical policy expert at the University of Toronto, said Ozempic’s popularity and wide public interest in a cheaper version is “a bit unprecedented.”

The first patients to get generic semaglutide will likely be those paying out of pocket, he said, because it will take some time to add the new products to provincial public formularies and on private insurance plans for patients whose medication costs are covered.

“The one-stop shop of how to navigate this stuff is your pharmacist. They’re the experts on dispensing drugs. They’re also the experts on navigating reimbursement of drugs. And so I think if you’re unsure of what’s covered or not, like the first place to go and talk to is your pharmacy,” Tadrous said.

The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, the industry association for pharmacies, said in an email that if public and private insurance plans add the generic medications to their formularies, they might be substituted for brand-name Ozempic

“As Health Canada has approved these products (Dr. Reddy’s & Apotex) as generic equivalents to Ozempic, pharmacists are able to substitute the generic for the brand product in accordance with existing provincial substitution rules, unless the prescriber has indicated otherwise or there is a clinical reason the patient requires the brand product,” Alison Kraayvanger, a spokesperson for the association, said in an email.

“Whether and when public and private drug plans choose to reimburse the generic versions instead of the brand product will be determined independently by each provincial drug plan and private insurer,” she wrote.

“While we cannot speculate on specific timelines or coverage decisions, it would be reasonable to expect there will be significant interest in the potential cost savings associated with the generic entries.”

Novo Nordisk Canada said in a statement that it “is actively exploring a range of strategies to respond to evolving market conditions and patient needs” and said it offers a savings program for some patients.

Tadrous said drug companies sometimes cover all or part of the difference between the generic cost and the brand-name cost to encourage patients to stick with their product.

But the “devil’s in the details,” he said, noting that pharmacists will be able to help customers figure out what’s being offered.

Health Canada is still reviewing several other submissions for generic semaglutide.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2026.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

Read more:

• Generic weight-loss drug approval ‘really good news,’ but doctor warns of long-term consequences
• Health Canada approves first generic version of Ozempic
• Novo Nordisk considers competing with generics through renamed lower-price Ozempic
• ‘The potential is phenomenal’: Drug maker Vimy Pharma plans to produce made-in-Canada, generic version of Ozempic