Health Canada approves the first generic semaglutide injection for weight loss, with the medication authorized for once-weekly use. Multiple outlets report that the product, named Svemia, is made by Apotex, a Canadian pharmaceutical company. The approval covers use in people aged 12 and older for weight-management treatment.
The approval is described as the first semaglutide generic specifically cleared for weight loss, while earlier generic semaglutide authorizations by the department were for adults with type 2 diabetes. Health Canada’s action therefore expands access to semaglutide in a weight-loss indication beyond the brand-name product.
Svemia is characterized as a generic version of Wegovy, the brand-name semaglutide injection marketed by Novo Nordisk. The reported outcome means Canada now has a generic option for the weight-loss indication previously associated with Wegovy, while maintaining separate authorizations for semaglutide generics used for type 2 diabetes.
