Health Canada says Canada is the first G7 country to approve a generic version of Ozempic.

So the generic name is semaglutide. Health Canada is also reviewing eight other submissions by different companies, and the agency expects to make regulatory decisions on more of these submissions in the coming weeks and months.

The semaglutide injection submission filed by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories which originates in India, is a generic version of the brand name drug Ozempic.

Health Canada says the drug demonstrated that it meets Health Canada’s criteria for safety, efficacy and quality for generic drugs. Like existing products, this semaglutide injection is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to manage blood sugar levels.

In Canada, many generic medications are 45 to 90 per cent cheaper than the brand name versions.