Canada approves first generic semaglutide injection for weight loss

OTTAWA — Health Canada has approved the first generic semaglutide injection for weight loss.

The product from the Canadian company Apotex is known as Svemia and is a generic version of the brand-name drug Wegovy from Denmark’s Novo Nordisk.

Health Canada says Svemia is for the once-weekly treatment of people 12 and over, as a supplement to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management.

It’s the third generic semaglutide product approved by the department, though the first two were authorized for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes in adults.