A major battle over the cost of blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drugs is unfolding in Africa as South Africa reviews 12 applications for generic versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy.
The applications could bring more affordable versions of one of the world’s most sought-after medicines into one of Africa’s largest and most developed healthcare markets, putting further pressure on Novo Nordisk and its US rival, Eli Lilly.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, known as SAHPRA, confirmed on Tuesday that it had 12 generic semaglutide applications under review. It did not disclose the applicants or indicate when decisions could be announced.
The rush follows the expiry of Novo Nordisk’s main patent covering semaglutide in South Africa in March 2026. The end of that protection allows rival drugmakers to seek approval to manufacture and sell competing versions of the medicine.
The development could reshape the fast-growing market for GLP-1 medicines, which were developed to manage type 2 diabetes but have attracted worldwide demand because of their ability to support significant weight loss.
