Novo Nordisk CEO calls oral Wegovy a must-win as Canadian generics ship

Novo Nordisk chief executive Mike Doustdar called the launch of an oral Wegovy pill the "must-win" battle of 2026, comments that came as generic semaglutide from Dr. Reddy's and Apotex reached pharmacies in Canada ^[1]. The company has said the pill accounts for the bulk of its 2026 growth ^[1].

The framing puts the pill between two pressures at once: Eli Lilly's oral orforglipron, sold as Foundayo, in the United States, and generic injectable semaglutide in markets where patents have already lapsed ^[1]. Novo Nordisk secured US approval for an oral Wegovy pill in December 2025, setting up the 2026 competition with orforglipron ^[1].

The Canadian market moved on two tracks. Health Canada authorized Dr. Reddy's generic semaglutide on April 28, 2026, and Apotex has begun shipping a product the company describes as having full SKU parity with Ozempic, meaning the same strengths and formats ^[1]. Canada is only the second country in the world to approve a generic version of semaglutide ^[1]. At the same time, more applications are waiting: eight additional generic semaglutide submissions were under Health Canada review as of early September 2026, and the agency's semaglutide queue stood at seven files awaiting decisions in early August 2026 ^[1]. Those counts have shifted as decisions have landed; a generic approval tracker puts three of nine generic semaglutide products as cleared by Health Canada ^[1].

The path to that competition traces to a fee. Novo Nordisk stopped paying a C$250 annual patent maintenance fee in 2018, a decision that ultimately allowed generic semaglutide to reach Canadian pharmacies in 2026 ^[1]. Tahir Amin of the patent group I-MAK told the BBC that Novo Nordisk could have extended its Canadian Ozempic patent until 2028 but did not renew it ^[1].

Prices in Canada are set to fall in steps. Under the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance's tiered pricing, the first generic entrant is priced at 75% to 85% of the brand, then drops to 35% once three or more generics reach the market ^[1]. Canadian benefits plans face a 65% list-price cut once a third generic semaglutide launches; Sandoz is targeting the third quarter of 2026, and Aspen has said it will go Canada-first ^[1]. Novo Nordisk has also cut Ozempic pricing for uninsured Canadians through a savings card as Apotex began shipping and Dr. Reddy's expanded distribution; the card excludes Quebec and runs through Rexall pharmacies ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

What happens in Canada does not set US prices or supply. Pricing, patents and approvals are handled country by country, and no generic version of semaglutide has been reported as approved or sold in the United States. The Canadian savings card applies to uninsured Canadians only and excludes Quebec, so it is not a US discount ^[1].

For US patients, the more concrete change is on the product side. An oral Wegovy pill has been approved in the US since December 2025, offering a non-injection form of semaglutide, though its US list price and insurance coverage are not described in the available reporting ^[1]. Novo Nordisk's guidance of a 5% to 13% revenue decline for 2026 signals that the company expects generic competition to cut into brand sales ^[1]. Eli Lilly reported US$9.94 billion in second-quarter Mounjaro sales, a reminder of how large the branded market remains ^[1].

Regulators have also flagged unauthorized products. Health Canada advisory RA-81518 warns about counterfeit and unauthorized GLP-1 drugs sold by retailers and online and urges purchases only from licensed pharmacies ^[1]. Novo Nordisk Canada and Rexall have launched home delivery of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus in every province and territory except Quebec ^[1].

What happens next

• A third generic semaglutide in Canada, which Sandoz is targeting for the third quarter of 2026, would trigger the 65% list-price cut for Canadian benefits plans ^[1].
• Eight additional generic semaglutide submissions remained under Health Canada review as of early September 2026 ^[1].
• Aspen-Semaglutide and Sevmia are listed by Health Canada as approved but not marketed as of July 28, 2026 ^[1].

Whether any generic semaglutide will reach US pharmacies has not been disclosed.