health
March 6, 2026
Weight-loss jab could be made for $3 a month, study finds
Cheap semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy, could help millions with diabetes and obesity in 160 countries
TL;DR
- Injectable semaglutide could be mass-produced for approximately $3 per monthly dose.
- Pill formulations could be made for about $16 per month.
- Core patents for semaglutide expire in 10 countries this year, allowing for generic competition.
- Patents have not been filed in 150 countries, including most of Africa, where a significant portion of the global population with type 2 diabetes and obesity resides.
- This development could significantly improve access to essential medicines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- Researchers emphasize that cheaper treatments do not address the structural drivers of obesity, such as poverty and urbanization.
- Coordinated policies and procurement planning are needed to realize the benefits of cheaper semaglutide.
- Semaglutide is currently expensive, costing about $200 per month in the US and £120 in the UK, with patents expiring in these regions in five years.
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