Sao Paulo: Brazilian pharmaceutical company Hypera plans to introduce a generic version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s widely used diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic, in 2026. Hypera CEO Breno de Oliveira confirmed the development on Friday, following the company’s fourth-quarter financial results.
The patent for semaglutide, which is also the core component of Novo Nordisk’s obesity treatment Wegovy and the oral diabetes medication Rybelsus, is set to expire in March 2026 in Brazil. This expiration will open the market for local pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and distribute their own versions of the drug.
“We are working to launch it as soon as the patent expires and we are very optimistic about this product from next year,” Oliveira told analysts during a conference call.
Market analysts from XP Investimentos have noted that the patent expiration presents a significant opportunity for Hypera. The introduction of a semaglutide-based drug would expand the company’s portfolio into a high-growth segment, with anticipated volume increases expected to balance out potential price declines.
Despite concerns over pricing pressure, Oliveira expressed confidence that generic semaglutide would maintain its value better than other generics due to its higher production costs and limited availability of injection pens required for administration.
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“We do not expect such a large degradation of this category in the short term,” he stated, adding that four pharmaceutical companies have already submitted applications to Brazil’s regulatory agency Anvisa for approval to produce semaglutide-based drugs.
Competition is also emerging from Biomm, which announced a licensing and supply agreement last year with India’s Biocon for the commercialization of generic Ozempic in Brazil. Biomm cited data from consulting firm IQVIA, revealing that Ozempic sales in Brazil reached 3.1 billion reais ($541.56 million) in 2023, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 39% between 2021 and 2023.
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Following the announcement, Hypera’s stock surged by 7% on Friday, making it the top gainer on Brazil’s benchmark stock index Bovespa, which remained flat for the day.
