First generic weight-loss injection approved in Canada

A dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, is held up for a photo in Front Royal, Va., on Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)

Canada has approved its first generic version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy.

Health Canada announced Monday that it has authorized Svemia, a once-weekly semaglutide injection made by Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex, for chronic weight management in people aged 12 and older “as a supplement to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management.”

The approval marks the first generic semaglutide injection authorized in Canada for weight loss. The drug is a generic version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

Health Canada said it approved the medication after determining that evidence submitted by the company met the department’s standards for safety, efficacy and quality for generic drugs.

The department said it is also reviewing six additional submissions for generic semaglutide products from other manufacturers and expects to make more regulatory decisions in the coming weeks and months.

Generic semaglutide products are considered pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand-name drug, and Health Canada said its review ensures that any differences between the products do not affect their safety, effectiveness or quality.

The department said greater availability of generic semaglutide could lead to lower costs for patients and the health-care system. In Canada, generic medications are often priced between 45 and 90 per cent below their brand-name counterparts.

The approval follows Health Canada’s authorization on May 1 of a generic semaglutide injection from Apotex for adults with Type 2 diabetes.