May. 23 at 2:52 AM
Generic versions of Wegovy and Ozempic are already available in countries like Canada and India, but the U.S. won’t see them until at least 2031–2032 due to extended pharmaceutical patent protections.
The key reason is that the U.S. allows patent-term extensions—up to five additional years—under laws shaped by the Hatch-Waxman Act, effectively lengthening exclusivity beyond the standard 20 years. This delay keeps semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s drugs, under monopoly protection much longer in the U.S. than in countries where key patents have already expired.
As a result, countries covering about 40% of the global population are beginning to access cheaper generics, some priced as low as
$15 per month, while U.S. patients continue paying premium prices. Analysts estimate that this extended exclusivity could allow Novo Nordisk to generate roughly
$146B in U.S. revenue through 2031.
$NVO $LLY