0:00Access to weight loss and diabetes medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro is set to expand once generic versions are approved for sale.
Peter Dazeley/
- For more financial news, visit News24 Business.
South Africa’s health regulator is reviewing 12 applications for generic versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss medicines, it said on Tuesday.
Novo’s patent on semaglutide – used in diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Wegovy – expired in March in South Africa, paving the way for drugmakers to flood the market.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said in response to a Reuters query that it has 12 generic semaglutide applications under review, but did not provide the names of the applicants or the timelines for potential approval.
Last week, India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries became the first company to receive approval from SAHPRA to manufacture and sell a generic version in South Africa.
The approval of more generic applications could lead to lower-cost alternatives in South Africa and intensify competition in the fast-growing market dominated by Novo and US rival Eli Lilly, which manufactures Mounjaro.
Like elsewhere in the world, the companies already face growing competition from compounded versions of the medicines. In South Africa, regulators have been stepping up efforts to monitor and regulate the compounded-drug market amid strong demand for lower-cost treatments.
Novo’s response to the growing competition is the planned launch this month of a more affordable authorised copy of Ozempic in South Africa, through a partnership with healthcare company Acino aimed at expanding patient access. It has also cut the prices of Wegovy to make it more accessible.
Next on News24
Kumba warns of profit hits from the rand, rail and heavy rain
description
username
Currencies
Commodities
Jse Indexes
Rand – Dollar
16.47
+0.0%
Rand – Pound
22.04
-0.1%
Rand – Euro
18.79
-0.1%
Rand – Aus dollar
11.52
+0.0%
Rand – Yen
0.10
-0.1%
Platinum
1,658.51
+1.4%
Palladium
1,309.04
+2.2%
Gold
4,114.93
+0.9%
Silver
59.30
+0.9%
Brent Crude
91.01
+2.0%
Top 40
100,852
+0.1%
ALSI
109,025
+0.0%
RESI 10
104,165
+1.4%
INDI 25
127,296
-1.2%
FINI 15
25,921
+0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes
The Mansers Family Adventure: The brutal price of family travel
WATCH | When every second counts: Inside South Africa’s emergency response system
How young professionals are reshaping SA’s investment industry
Why training your mind could be the best investment you’ll make this year
Standard Bank Connect launches eSIM in SA as demand grows
Plan your Aussie trip around these not-to-be-missed events
