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Is there a generic Ozempic? Where generic semaglutide is approved (November 2026)

Generic semaglutide is now sold in some countries, but not in the US. Here is where things stand as of November 2026, what the dates are, which generic GLP-1 you can already get in the US, and why compounded semaglutide is not a generic.

By 8 min read
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The short version
  • No. As of November 2026 there is no FDA-approved generic Ozempic or Wegovy in the US, and Novo Nordisk lists 2032 as the US compound patent expiry for semaglutide.2
  • Outside the US, generic semaglutide launched in India on March 21, 2026, and Canada approved its first generic Ozempic on April 28, 2026 and a generic Wegovy on June 29, 2026.7,9,10
  • A generic GLP-1 is sold in the US: liraglutide, the generic of Victoza (December 2024) and Saxenda (August 2025). Compounded semaglutide is not a generic.13

Generic semaglutide by country, as of November 2026

CountryStatusKey dates
United StatesNo FDA-approved generic. One tentative approval (not cleared for sale).Apotex announced tentative approval April 10, 2026; Novo Nordisk lists US compound patent expiry as 20322,5
Canada3 generics approved by Health Canada: 2 of Ozempic, 1 of WegovyApril 28, May 1 and June 29, 20267,8,9
IndiaGenerics launched by several companiesCompound patent expired March 20, 2026; Dr. Reddy's launched March 21, 20263,10
BrazilSeveral synthetic semaglutide pens registered for type 2 diabetes; Anvisa says these are not "generics" under Brazilian rulesMay 26 and July 29, 202611,12
ChinaWe found no regulator announcement of an approved genericNovo Nordisk says China's Supreme People's Court upheld its compound patent in December 20252
 Sources: Health Canada, Anvisa, Novo Nordisk SEC filings, Dr. Reddy's and Apotex announcements. This changes quickly; dates are as reported by each source.
Illustration of a pastel world map with pins.

What is a generic drug?

The FDA defines a generic as a medicine made to be the same as a brand-name drug that is already sold, in active ingredient, dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality, performance and intended use. Generics go through FDA review before they can be sold.1 In the US, a company usually cannot launch a generic until the brand's patents and exclusivity periods have ended or been settled in court.

Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight management. For how they differ, see Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Mounjaro vs Zepbound.

Is there a generic Ozempic in the US?

No. As of November 2026, no generic semaglutide has final FDA approval in the US. In its 2025 annual filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Novo Nordisk says the US compound patent expiry for Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy is 2032.2 A compound patent covers the molecule itself. Other patents, for example on formulations or pens, can run later.

Generic makers are lining up anyway. Novo Nordisk says several companies have filed applications for generic versions of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus that challenge its patents. It has settled US patent cases over Ozempic with Alvogen, Rio Biopharmaceuticals, Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy's, Mylan, Zydus and Apotex, and says all terms are confidential.2 In August 2026 it reported suing Cipla after Cipla filed for a generic Ozempic.4 Because the settlement terms are private, nobody outside the companies can say exactly when the first US generic will launch.

2032US compound patent expiry for semaglutide, per Novo Nordisk's 2025 annual filing
Apr 10, 2026Apotex announced the first FDA tentative approval for a generic Ozempic

What does "tentative approval" mean?

On April 10, 2026, Apotex announced it had received the first FDA tentative approval for a generic version of Ozempic injection.5 The FDA describes a tentative approval letter as one that delays final approval until all patent or exclusivity issues are resolved.6 In plain terms, the FDA found the application ready, but the product cannot be sold in the US yet.

Is there a generic for Wegovy?

Not in the US. Canada is the first country with a regulator-approved generic of Wegovy. On June 29, 2026, Health Canada approved Apotex's Sevmia, a generic version of Wegovy, for once-weekly chronic weight management in people 12 and older, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity. Health Canada said it was reviewing 6 more generic semaglutide submissions at that time.9

Generic semaglutide in Canada, India, Brazil and China

Canada

On April 28, 2026, Health Canada approved a generic semaglutide injection from Dr. Reddy's, a generic of Ozempic for adults with type 2 diabetes. It called this the first generic semaglutide approved in the G7, and said the generic is pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand.7 A second generic of Ozempic, from Apotex, followed on May 1, 2026.8 In August 2026, Novo Nordisk reported that loss of exclusivity in Canada had lowered the prices it gets there.4

India

Novo Nordisk says its semaglutide compound patent in India expired on March 20, 2026, and that generics were launched by competing companies in the first quarter.3 On March 21, 2026, Dr. Reddy's announced the launch of its semaglutide, Obeda, a weekly prefilled pen for type 2 diabetes.10 Novo Nordisk has sued two companies in the Delhi High Court over formulation patents.3

Brazil

On May 26, 2026, Brazil's regulator Anvisa approved Ozivy, from EMS, as the country's first synthetic semaglutide pen comparable to Ozempic, for adults with type 2 diabetes. Anvisa noted that it is not legally a "generic", because Brazilian rules have no generics of biological products.11 On July 29, 2026, it registered 5 more synthetic semaglutide pens for type 2 diabetes: Owozy, Seemasun, Zempneo, Semavy and Orsema.12

China

Novo Nordisk says China's Supreme People's Court upheld its semaglutide compound patent in December 2025.2 We could not find an announcement from China's drug regulator of an approved generic, so we leave the status there open.

Generics approved in Canada, India or Brazil are not FDA-approved for sale in the US. The FDA urges people to buy medicines only from state-licensed pharmacies, and warns that counterfeit Ozempic has been found in the US.16

Is there a generic GLP-1 in the US? Yes: liraglutide

Liraglutide is an older GLP-1 medicine, sold by Novo Nordisk as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for weight management. Novo Nordisk says the US compound patent for Victoza expired in 2023, and the Saxenda compound patent has expired in all countries.2

BrandUseGeneric available in the US
Victoza (liraglutide)Type 2 diabetesTeva authorized generic, June 2024; first FDA-approved generic, December 23, 2024
Saxenda (liraglutide)Weight managementFirst FDA-approved generic, August 2025 (Teva announced August 28, 2025)
 Sources: FDA GDUFA performance report for FY 2025; Novo Nordisk 2025 Form 20-F; Teva.2,13,14

An authorized generic is the brand's own medicine sold under a generic name. The FDA called the December 2024 approval the first generic of a once-daily GLP-1 for type 2 diabetes, and noted that liraglutide's peptide structure made the generic harder to develop than most.13 For why peptides are different, see GLP-1 peptides.

Liraglutide is not semaglutide. It is a daily injection rather than weekly. In Saxenda's main 56-week trial of 3,731 adults with obesity, or overweight plus a weight-related condition, and without diabetes, people on Saxenda lost 7.4% of their body weight on average vs 3.0% on placebo, according to the label.15 Semaglutide and tirzepatide led to larger average losses in their trials; see GLP-1 weight loss results. Whether liraglutide fits you is a question for your prescriber.

Why compounded semaglutide is not a generic

Compounded semaglutide is mixed by a pharmacy, not approved by the FDA. The FDA says it does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold.16 A generic, by contrast, must show the FDA that it matches the brand.1 Some sellers market compounded or "research" semaglutide as "generic Ozempic", but that label is not accurate. For the details, see compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, and for cost options on the approved brands, Zepbound and Wegovy cost.

Common questions

Is there a generic Ozempic?

Not in the US as of November 2026: no generic semaglutide has final FDA approval, and Novo Nordisk lists 2032 as the US compound patent expiry for Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Health Canada approved the first generic Ozempic, from Dr. Reddy's, on April 28, 2026, and generic semaglutide launched in India on March 21, 2026.

When will generic Ozempic be available in the US?

There is no public date. Novo Nordisk gives 2032 as the US compound patent expiry, and it has settled patent cases with several generic makers on confidential terms. Apotex announced the first FDA tentative approval for a generic Ozempic on April 10, 2026, which does not allow sale until patent or exclusivity issues are resolved.

Is there a generic for Wegovy?

Not in the US as of November 2026. In Canada, Health Canada approved Apotex's Sevmia, a generic version of Wegovy for weight management in people 12 and older, on June 29, 2026.

Is compounded semaglutide a generic?

No. The FDA defines a generic as a medicine made to be the same as an approved brand in active ingredient, dosage form, strength, route, quality and performance, and generics are FDA-approved. Compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved and is not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality.

Is there a generic GLP-1 in the US?

Yes, liraglutide. The FDA approved the first generic of Victoza on December 23, 2024 and the first generic of Saxenda in August 2025. In Saxenda's main 56-week trial of 3,731 adults without diabetes, average weight loss was 7.4% on liraglutide vs 3.0% on placebo.

Sources

  1. US Food and Drug Administration. Generic drugs: questions & answers. Content current as of September 18, 2026. fda.gov
  2. Novo Nordisk A/S. Annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year 2025. US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2026. sec.gov
  3. Novo Nordisk A/S. Financial report for the period 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 (Form 6-K). May 6, 2026. sec.gov
  4. Novo Nordisk A/S. Financial report for the period 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K). August 4, 2026. sec.gov
  5. Drug Topics. FDA tentatively approves generic version of semaglutide. April 10, 2026. drugtopics.com
  6. US Food and Drug Administration. GDUFA glossary: tentative approval letter. fda.gov
  7. Health Canada. Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide. April 28, 2026. canada.ca
  8. Health Canada. Canada approves second generic semaglutide, the first G7 country to do so. May 1, 2026. canada.ca
  9. Health Canada. Canada approves first generic semaglutide for weight loss. June 29, 2026. canada.ca
  10. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Press release on the launch of semaglutide (Obeda) in India. March 21, 2026. Filed as an exhibit to Form 6-K. sec.gov
  11. Anvisa. Anvisa aprova primeira caneta de semaglutida sintética análoga ao Ozempic para diabetes. May 26, 2026. gov.br
  12. Anvisa. Anvisa registra cinco novas canetas de semaglutida. July 29, 2026. gov.br
  13. US Food and Drug Administration. Performance Report to Congress: Generic Drug User Fee Amendments, FY 2025. fda.gov (PDF)
  14. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Teva announces FDA approval and launch of generic Saxenda (liraglutide injection). August 28, 2025. tevapharm.com
  15. US FDA. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection, prescribing information, section 14. DailyMed, effective February 2026. DailyMed
  16. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. Content current as of October 1, 2026. fda.gov
This article summarises published research for general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from your own care team. Never change a medication or dose without talking to your prescriber.

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