1 January 2027
Medicare negotiated prices for 2027 take effect
Discounts of 40% to 71% below list price for these drugs, before the rebates drugmakers already pay.
When does Ozempic go off patent?
In the US, generics can launch from 2032. Ozempic is sold by Novo Nordisk. Novo guides to US compound patent expiry in 2032. Generics launched in India and Canada in 2026 as patents lapsed there. Sales DKK 127.1B.
Ozempic's US exclusivity date is based on company guidance. The date comes from the company's own filings or guidance. Secondary patents, new formulations or litigation can still move it. It is a peptide regulated as a drug rather than a biologic, so copies are generics. Peptides are harder to copy than typical pills, so generic uptake can be slower.
| Patent or protection | Covers | Expiry |
|---|---|---|
| US 8,129,343 | Semaglutide itself and the drug product | 5 December 2031 |
| US 9,132,239 | The drug product | 1 February 2032 |
| US 10,335,462 | One approved use | 21 June 2033 |
Novo Nordisk guides to US compound patent expiry in 2032 for all semaglutide brands (Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy). Several older formulation and pen patents listed with the FDA expire in 2026 and 2027, and Novo has asked for most of them to be removed. In October 2024 Novo settled with Mylan, Sun, Dr. Reddy's and Apotex over a challenge to a dosing patent; the terms are confidential. Generics are already sold in Canada and India, where the patents lapsed.
Sources: FDA Orange Book: Ozempic patents · Novo Nordisk 20-F 2025
| Year | Worldwide | US | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | DKK 95.7B | – | – |
| 2024 | DKK 120.3B | DKK 84.2B | +26% |
| 2025 | DKK 127.1B | DKK 88.5B | +6% |
Worldwide net sales as reported, with the US share, in DKK as the company reports them, so growth is not distorted by exchange rates. Source: Novo Nordisk full-year reports 2025 and 2024
Tentatively approved Several makers filed generics that challenge Novo's patents. Novo has settled with seven on confidential terms, subject to review by US antitrust authorities, and guides to US compound patent expiry in 2032. Apotex won tentative approval in April 2026 and expects to launch after final approval, following that expiry.
| Company (product) | Stage |
|---|---|
| Mylan (Viatris) | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
| Sun Pharma | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
| Dr. Reddy's | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
| Apotex | Tentatively approved Apr 2026; settled, terms confidential. Launch expected after final approval, following patent expiry in 2032 |
| Zydus | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
| Alvogen | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
| Rio Biopharmaceuticals | Filed with the FDA; settled, terms confidential |
Checked October 2026. Sources: Novo 20-F 2025 · Apotex: Q1 fiscal 2027 results
Among past small-molecule drugs facing unrestricted generics, US sales in the first full year after copies arrived were a median 18% of the last full year before (range 0% to 48%, 10 drugs), and 6% by the third year (8 drugs). Where settlements limit generic volumes, as with Revlimid, the decline is slower. Every drug is different: settlements, how many copies launch, and pricing all change the curve. See the erosion benchmarks →
Ozempic was selected for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. Its negotiated Medicare price takes effect in 2027, 71% below its list price. That is 5 years before US generics can launch, so Medicare revenue comes under pressure first. The discount is measured against list price, before the rebates drugmakers already pay, and applies to Medicare only, so the revenue impact is smaller than the headline number. See every negotiated Medicare price →
Ozempic is 41% of Novo Nordisk's 2025 revenue (≈$19.3B of $46.8B). With Wegovy, the drugs tracked here add up to 67% of Novo Nordisk's revenue losing US exclusivity by 2032. Total sales DKK 309.1B.
Bars show each company's tracked drugs as a share of its total 2025 revenue. Ozempic is highlighted.
Discounts of 40% to 71% below list price for these drugs, before the rebates drugmakers already pay.
Company guidance. Novo guides to US compound patent expiry in 2032. Generics launched in India and Canada in 2026 as patents lapsed there. Sales DKK 127.1B.
Dr. Reddy's launched the first generic in Canada, after generics reached India in the first quarter. US protection runs to 2032. Dr. Reddy's