Semaglutide generics: when will they arrive and what will change?

What is a pharmaceutical patent and what does it allow?

A patent gives the laboratory that develops a molecule the exclusive right to manufacture and sell it for a number of years in each country where it is registered. While it is in force, no other manufacturer can market that active ingredient as a generic medicine.

The patent application for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, was filed in 2006 [1]. In Europe, a supplementary protection certificate extends exclusivity beyond the patent’s twenty-year term [1].

This certificate compensates for the time lost between registering the patent and obtaining authorisation to sell the medicine, which is taken up by trials and administrative procedures [1]. That is why the end of this protection determines when a generic can arrive, country by country.

When does the semaglutide patent expire in Spain?

The basic patent for semaglutide expired in March 2026, but in Europe the supplementary protection certificate protects it until March 2031, including in Spain [2]. No legal generic version of Ozempic or Wegovy can be sold here before that date.

Generic medicines have started to arrive in places where the patent no longer protects the molecule. In 2026, protection has ended in countries such as Canada, India, China and Brazil [2] [4]. In Canada, the first generic went on sale at around one third of the branded product’s price [3]. This does not bring forward the European timetable, because each country applies its own dates.

Each molecule in the group also has its own patent and timetable. Liraglutide has already lost its patent protection, while the more recent tirzepatide (Mounjaro) will remain protected for several more years.

What will happen to the price when the generic arrives?

The price is expected to fall when a generic enters the market, as happens with almost any molecule that loses exclusivity. What happened in Canada gives an idea of the scale, although it is not a forecast for Spain [3].

No one has yet published how much the generic will cost in Spain or whether it will be funded. There is a recent precedent, however. In March 2026, with no generics in sight, the manufacturer independently lowered the price of Wegovy in Spain [5]. The price is also affected by decisions made by the manufacturer and the authorities.

The liraglutide precedent: what happened when its patent expired

There is already a real example within the same group. Liraglutide is an older molecule in the same family and lost its protection earlier. It is now sold in Spain under other brand names, at a considerably lower price than the original brand, Victoza [6].

The original brand itself has left the market. The AEMPS announced that Victoza would stop being marketed at the end of 2025 [7]. There is no guarantee that semaglutide will follow the same path, but this is the closest example within the group.

What does not change with a generic?

A generic contains the same active ingredient as the original and must demonstrate that it behaves in the same way in the body before it can be sold. The manufacturer changes and the price is expected to be lower. The way it works is the same.

Who decides on public funding does not change either. In Spain, this is set by the Interministerial Commission on Medicine Prices [8]. At present, Ozempic is funded only with prior authorisation, for type 2 diabetes with obesity and in combination with other treatments [8]. A generic would come under the same system.

Even if the price falls, a medical assessment will still be needed before starting, along with an approved indication in the product information [9].

What we see in consultations

In consultations, we see people who have decided to wait for the generic before starting a treatment their doctor has already recommended. The question makes sense when price is the barrier. But the wait is measured in years, with March 2031 as the earliest date [2].

If cost is the reason, it is often more useful to discuss the funding options available now with your doctor. We also see people putting off changes to their diet and activity until they have the medicine, when they could make use of that time now.

Is it worth waiting for the generic before starting treatment?

If your doctor has suggested a GLP-1 medicine, decide together when to start, taking your clinical situation, the available alternatives and your preferences into account. Do not change or delay your treatment without speaking to the person who prescribes it.

For an overview of this group, our GLP-1 medicines guide brings together the molecules available today. If cost is a barrier, our price and funding guide explains what is covered by public healthcare. And our semaglutide page explains the active ingredient in more detail.