Weight-loss jabs such as Wegovy could be manufactured for as little as $3 (about £2.35) per monthly dose, according to new research. The analysis suggests that cheap semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, could become accessible to millions in poorer countries as patents expire.
The study, published as a pre-print, estimates that injectable semaglutide could be mass-produced at $3 per month, while newer pill formulations could cost around $16. Dr Andrew Hill of Liverpool University’s pharmacology department said: “These low prices open the door to worldwide access to an essential medicine.”
Core patents on semaglutide are due to expire in 10 countries from 21 March, including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico and Canada. The researchers identified another 150 countries where patents have not been filed, covering 69% of people with type 2 diabetes and 84% of those living with obesity globally.
Professor François Venter from Witwatersrand University said: “Drugs to treat HIV, TB, malaria and hepatitis are available in low- and middle-income countries for prices close to the cost of production. We can repeat this medical success story for semaglutide.” However, the researchers warned that cheaper treatments would not address structural drivers of obesity, such as food insecurity and poverty.
Dr Nomathemba Chandiwana of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation called the findings “very significant” for low- and middle-income countries, where cost has been a major barrier. She said the key question is how health systems integrate the drugs responsibly into broader obesity and diabetes care.
Semaglutide currently costs about $200 a month in the US and £120 in the UK. Patents in Britain, continental Europe and the US do not expire for another five years.
