Some Canadians will be able to buy the brand GLP-1 drug Ozempik at a reduced price, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said in a statement on Tuesday.
The move comes as two generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy, both made by Novo Nordisk, have begun arriving in Canadian pharmacies, meaning patients using the drug to treat diabetes or for weight loss could have more options at a fraction of the cost.
Earlier this month, Health Canada approved Dr. generic semaglutide. Reddy and Apotex – the active ingredient in the brand name Ozempic that is prescribed for diabetes and Wegovy, which is the same drug, but with a different name and a higher dose when prescribed for weight loss.
The drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, work by stimulating the release of insulin, blocking the production of sugar in the liver and making you feel fuller for longer by slowing the flow of food through the digestive system.
On Tuesday, Novo Nordisk said it will lower the price of its brand name Ozempic for some Canadian consumers.
Starting Friday, eligible Canadians without public or private coverage will be able to buy Ozempic for less, “bringing their medication costs closer to generic alternatives,” Novo Nordisk Canada said.
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The reduced price can be achieved by using a Novo Nordisk Savings Card, which can be used at local pharmacies across Canada, excluding Quebec, and will be automatically applied at Novo Nordisk Care Rx operated by Rexall.
“We are committed to ensuring that eligible patients who choose Ozempic can stay with the brand because of these additional savings,” said Iain Graham, general manager at Novo Nordisk Canada.
Apotex is based in Canada and says it began shipping its product on Tuesday.
Dr. India-based Reddy’s said in an email to The Canadian Press that its semaglutide has already arrived in “select” Canadian pharmacies and will be more widely available across the country in the coming days.
Apotex said its generic semaglutide will be roughly one-third the price of Novo Nordisk’s brand-name Ozempic.
A spokesperson for Dr. Reddy’s did not release pricing details to The Canadian Press, other than to say it will be “competitive.”
Ozempic and Wegovy currently cost hundreds of dollars a month, depending on the dose delivered, in some cases more than $450.
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are usually covered for type 2 diabetes under public drug plans, but only a small number of private insurers cover the use of drugs for weight management.
Ontario lists Ozempic as a “restricted-use drug,” meaning a doctor must confirm it meets a patient’s specific needs, while Alberta treats Ozempic as a step therapy, meaning patients are asked to try other treatments first.
In December 2025, negotiations that could have led to Wegovy being covered under Canadian public health plans broke down.
Novo Nordisk had been approached for talks to lower the cost of the drug by providing coverage under Canada’s public health system.
The Canadian Drug Agency, a not-for-profit organization that looks at the cost-effectiveness of various drugs, asked the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which negotiates drug prices on behalf of provincial, territorial and federal governments, to talk to Novo Nordisk.
The Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance says on its website that those negotiations have “ended without agreement (the manufacturer rejected the negotiations).
— with files from Global’s Ariel Rabinovitch and The Canadian Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
