Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said generic versions of its diabetes drug Ozempic could be delayed in China until 2027 due to regulatory data protection rights.
The patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, expired in China in March. This had opened expectations for several Chinese pharmaceutical companies to launch generic versions of the drug.
However, Novo Nordisk said its Swiss entity holds the Chinese market authorization for Ozempic, giving the company protection under the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement until April 2027.
Chinese drugmaker Hangzhou Jiuyuan Genetic Biopharmaceutical previously said regulators had suspended its application for a semaglutide generic due to “data protection provisions under agreements with governments of other countries.”
According to Shanghai-based healthcare consultancy founder Zhao Heng, many Chinese companies had expected rapid approval of Ozempic copycats following the patent expiration. He said the case highlighted the need for stronger legal preparation among Chinese drugmakers.
