Novo Nordisk Loses Canadian Patent on Ozempic

Generic versions of Ozempic went on sale in Canada this week after Novo Nordisk did not renew its patent for the drug. The patent lapse allows generic manufacturers to produce versions of the medication on a larger scale than the compounders that have already entered the market.

Correspondence reviewed by Science magazine indicates Novo Nordisk failed to pay a $250 filing fee required to extend the patent. " A Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Semafor that the company’s "intellectual property decisions are carefully considered at the global level" but provided no further details.

Nordisk continues to hold a patent on the drug in the United States, the largest market for obesity medications. The company has faced competition from smaller compounders of weight-loss drugs in multiple countries. 5 billion in sales last year.