Aspen Pharmacare, Africa’s largest drugmaker, said it will release cheaper versions of drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy from next year as it strives for a slice of the global weight-loss market.
The South African company’s CEO told Bloomberg it expects to make its version for less than half the average global price, as patents for the breakthrough drugs are due to expire in 2026 in many countries.
Last month Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched its weight-loss drug, Wegovy, in South Africa, where increasingly widespread obesity has driven demand for such medication.
Aspen — which reported a net loss of 1.1 billion rand ($63 million) for the year ending in June — hopes the new products will turn around its fortunes. The global weight-loss drug market is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030.
