New drugmakers could soon offer ‘£20-a-month’ Ozempic-style weight-loss jabs
Weight-loss jabs could soon get a lot cheaper. Here’s why
- Novo Nordisk's global patent for popular weight-loss jabs Wegovy and Ozempic is set to expire in several countries from early 2026.
- This expiration will enable other pharmaceutical companies to produce significantly cheaper 'generic' versions of the semaglutide-based medications.
- Medicines UK, representing generic manufacturers, suggests prices could fall by 70-90 per cent, potentially making the jabs available for as little as £20 a month.
- While the patent expires in countries like India and Canada from 2026, it will not do so in the UK until 2031, raising concerns about unregulated imports.
- Novo Nordisk has dismissed Medicines UK's comments as speculative, stating no current plans to alter their UK offering.