Canadians paying $200–$400 a month for glp‑1 drugs could soon see costs fall to about $100–$150
A once‑daily Wegovy pill is arriving in the US just as Canada moves toward cheaper semaglutide – a combination that could reshape obesity‑drug costs and coverage decisions for Canadian plans.
According to BNN Bloomberg, Novo Nordisk has launched an oral version of Wegovy in the US at US$149 a month for cash‑pay patients for the 1.5 mg and 4 mg starter doses, with 9 mg and 25 mg doses at US$299 and the 4 mg dose set to rise to US$199 from April 15.
The pill uses semaglutide, the same active ingredient as injectable Wegovy and Ozempic, and the US Food and Drug Administration approved it last month.
BNN Bloomberg also report that, under a deal with US President Donald Trump, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will offer starter doses of their weight‑loss pills at US$149 a month for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees and for cash‑pay patients via a new TrumpRx direct‑to‑consumer platform expected to launch this month.
The Wegovy pill targets people who either lack coverage or cannot get reimbursement, shifting part of the US market toward direct cash‑pay models.
CNN reports that the tablet is available through major pharmacies such as CVS and Costco and via telehealth providers including Ro, LifeMD, WeightWatchers, GoodRx and NovoCare Pharmacy.
CNN also notes that the pill and injection produced similar average weight loss in trials – about 14 percent and 15 percent respectively over roughly 64 weeks, compared with about 2 percent for placebo – with side effects in line with the broader GLP‑1 class.
In Canada, the more immediate change is on price rather than new formulations.
CBC News report that Health Canada has received nine submissions for generic versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, after Canada became the only country where Novo Nordisk allowed its semaglutide patent to expire, ending regulatory exclusivity on January 4.
The named applicants include Sandoz Canada, Apotex, Teva Canada, Taro Pharmaceuticals and Aspen Pharmacare Canada.
Health Canada told CBC News that generic semaglutide must be pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand‑name drug and must meet the same standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.
It also said these reviews are more complex because the originator drug was developed using biological processes, while generics may rely on synthetic chemistry.
The regulator said companies must show that any differences do not affect safety, efficacy or quality.
Cost pressure is already visible.
CBC News reports that Canadians using GLP‑1 drugs for weight loss currently pay about $200 to $400 a month, often out of pocket because many insurance plans do not cover them for obesity.
University of Toronto pharmacy researcher Mina Tadrous told CBC News that, with several generic competitors, prices could fall to roughly $100 to $150 a month, though he expects approvals closer to summer than the early part of the year.
Access remains a concern.
CBC News quotes Sanjeev Sockalingam of Obesity Canada saying many of his patients do not have insurance coverage and cannot afford these medications, limiting “one tool in our toolbox for obesity management” in a country where obesity affects about one in three Canadians.
CTV News reports that Calgary endocrinologist Sue Pedersen expects generic semaglutide to lower costs for people who cannot pay for Ozempic or Wegovy.
She notes that Health Canada only approves generics when it is satisfied they have similar effectiveness and safety, while cautioning that some individuals historically respond differently to generics.
On the obesity pill specifically, CBC News reports that Novo Nordisk has launched a Wegovy pill in the US and plans to make higher doses available there by week’s end, but the company directed questions about Canadian availability back to its US media release.
Health Canada has not confirmed whether it has received an application for a Wegovy pill.
Canada already has one oral semaglutide product: CBC News notes that Novo Nordisk sells Rybelsus, a pill approved by Health Canada for Type 2 diabetes.
