What is Sevmia, the generic Wegovy, and when will it be available?
Canada’s first generic semaglutide for weight management: what Health Canada approved, why its 1 mg-only pen matters, and where it stands on the market.
Written for Canada, from Canadian sources.
Sevmia is Apotex’s generic copy of Wegovy, approved by Health Canada on 29 June 2026 for weight management and lowering heart-attack risk. Its pen only gives 1 mg doses, so on its own it can’t cover Wegovy’s other dose steps or the 2.4 mg maintenance dose. On 12 October 2026 it was approved but not marketed.
Key takeaways
- Sevmia is a generic of Wegovy from Apotex, approved by Health Canada on 29 June 2026 for chronic weight management and for lowering the risk of a non-fatal heart attack.1,2
- Sevmia’s monograph says it “can be prescribed only for 1 mg once weekly dosing”, so other products are needed for the other dose steps.3
- On the Canadian Wegovy label, 1 mg is the third step, used in weeks 9 to 12, and the maintenance dose is 2.4 mg.4
- Sevmia was approved but not marketed on 12 October 2026, and Apotex gave no launch date.2,1
- Ontario’s formulary lists Sevmia at $325.05 a pen as off-formulary, so the provincial plan does not pay for it.5
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription drugs in Canada. Nothing here is a reason to start, stop or switch one.2
- We name brands and official prices as facts. We don’t recommend, rank or link to any brand, pharmacy, clinic or program.
- For weight management, Health Canada has approved Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda, and the generic Sevmia. Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes.6,2
- Trial results are averages. Some people lose much less, and every benefit comes with risks: see our side effects guide.
On this page
What is Sevmia?
Sevmia is semaglutide made by Apotex, approved as a generic of Wegovy for weight management and heart-attack risk reduction.1,3
Apotex developed it with Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies. It is approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related condition. It is also approved to lower the risk of a non-fatal heart attack in adults with heart disease and a BMI of 27 or more.1 Like Wegovy, its monograph also covers young people aged 12 to under 18 with obesity (BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex) who weigh more than 60 kg (132 lb).3
Like the generic copies of Ozempic, it is “produced by solid-phase synthetic chemistry”. Wegovy is made using yeast.3,4
Each pack holds one pen with 4 doses and 4 needles.3 It is the only generic approved for weight; the others copy Ozempic, for diabetes. See every approved generic.2
Why does the 1 mg-only pen matter?
Wegovy is started low and stepped up every 4 weeks to 2.4 mg. Sevmia’s pen covers only the 1 mg step.4,3
Dose steps from the Canadian Wegovy product monograph, dated 2 October 2026. Your prescriber sets your own steps.
Sevmia’s monograph is direct: it “can be prescribed only for 1 mg once weekly dosing. Alternative products are needed to achieve doses of Semaglutide Injection exclusive of the 1 mg dose.”3
The Canadian Wegovy label sets 2.4 mg as the maintenance dose. If 2.4 mg isn’t tolerated, it can drop to 1.7 mg for up to 4 weeks.4 Canada’s obesity guideline notes that some people reach their goals on a dose lower than the maximum.6 Which dose fits is your prescriber’s call.
When will Sevmia be in pharmacies?
We don’t know. On 12 October 2026, Health Canada’s database listed Sevmia as approved, not marketed, and Apotex had announced no launch date.2,1
Ontario’s formulary already lists it, at $325.05 a pen, under “Off-Formulary Interchangeable”. That means Ontario’s plan doesn’t pay for it.5 For comparison, Canada’s Drug Agency used $388.64 for a Wegovy pen.7
A listing is not a launch. Generic Ozempic copies took about 1 to 3 weeks to reach pharmacies after approval, and supply was uneven.8,9,10
See what the Canadian labels and guideline describe, in 2 minutes. It ends with questions for your doctor.
What did the trials behind it show?
Sevmia relies on Wegovy’s trials. In STEP 1, people on 2.4 mg lost 14.9% of their weight on average over 68 weeks, against 2.4% on a dummy injection.4
Those results are for 2.4 mg, the dose Sevmia’s pen can’t give.4,3 For someone starting at 90 kg (198 lb), 14.9% is about 13 kg (29 lb), but results varied widely. In STEP 1, 83.5 in 100 people on 2.4 mg lost at least 5% of their weight, against 31.1 in 100 on a dummy injection. Put the other way, about 1 in 6 on the medicine lost less than 5%.4
The heart indication comes from the SELECT trial in people with established heart disease.4 The harms are the same as Wegovy’s.
- Stomach effects. About 44 in 100 people on Wegovy 2.4 mg felt sick (nausea), against 16 in 100 on a dummy injection. On Zepbound 15 mg it was about 28 in 100, against about 9 in 100.4,11
- Gallbladder. Gallstones affected about 16 in 1,000 people on Wegovy, against 7 in 1,000 on a dummy injection. An inflamed gallbladder affected about 6 in 1,000 on Zepbound, against 2 in 1,000.4,11
- Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): severe stomach pain that won’t go away, sometimes spreading to the back.4
- Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea can harm the kidneys.4
- Thyroid and pregnancy. Not for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or MEN 2. Canada’s obesity guideline advises against these medicines in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or when trying to conceive.11,6
Will drug plans cover Sevmia?
No public plan covers it as of 12 October 2026. BC said it will review generic semaglutide for all approved uses once generics are marketed.5,13
No province covers Wegovy itself for weight, after national price talks ended in December 2025.13 Read why no province covers Wegovy or Zepbound.
Private plans set their own rules: private insurance and GLP‑1s.
Poviztra is a different product: an extra semaglutide brand registered by Novo Nordisk itself, approved on 22 December 2025 and not marketed on 12 October 2026.2
Questions people ask
What is Sevmia?
A generic of Wegovy made by Apotex, approved by Health Canada on 29 June 2026 for weight management and lowering heart-attack risk.1
Is Sevmia the same as Wegovy?
It contains the same medicine with the same approved uses, but it is made by chemical synthesis and its pen only gives 1 mg doses.3,4
Is Sevmia available in Canada?
Not yet. On 12 October 2026, Health Canada’s database listed it as approved, not marketed.2
How much will Sevmia cost?
Apotex hasn’t announced a price. Ontario’s formulary lists it at $325.05 a pen, as off-formulary, so the plan doesn’t pay for it.1,5
Can I use Sevmia for every dose?
No. Its monograph says it can be prescribed only for 1 mg weekly doses, and other products are needed for the other steps.3
How we researched this
We read Sevmia’s Canadian product monograph, Apotex’s approval announcement, the Canadian Wegovy monograph for the dose steps and trial results, and Health Canada’s Drug Product Database on 12 October 2026.
The point about the dose steps is in Sevmia’s own monograph; we did not infer it.
Before you move on
- Check Sevmia’s status in the Drug Product Database before planning around it.
- Ask how your dose steps would be covered.
- Ask your plan whether it covers weight management.
- Know the warning signs in the risks box.
- Plan for the long term, not one pen.
More from the Canada blog
The monthly Canada update
An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don’t sell medicines, take drug-company money, earn commissions or link to any provider. Once a month: Health Canada approvals, recalls, provincial coverage changes and official prices. How we write
Sources
- Apotex. Apotex first to receive Health Canada approval for SEVMIA™, a generic semaglutide for chronic weight management. Press release, 30 June 2026. Link
- Health Canada. Drug Product Database: status records for every semaglutide product (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Plosbrio, Poviztra; generics from Dr. Reddy’s, Apotex, Aspen and Sandoz, and Sevmia). Searched 12 October 2026. Link
- Apotex. Sevmia (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 29 June 2026 (“SEVMIA can be prescribed only for 1 mg once weekly dosing. Alternative products are needed to achieve doses of Semaglutide Injection exclusive of the 1 mg dose”; 1 pen of 4 doses; storage). PDF
- Novo Nordisk Canada. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 2 October 2026 (indications; dose escalation; STEP 1–3 results and adverse reactions; pancreatitis, gallbladder, kidney and pregnancy warnings; storage). PDF
- Ontario Ministry of Health. Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary search, semaglutide rows (Ozempic $227.94 per pen with $78.141 paid; Apo-Semaglutide and Dr. Reddy’s $78.141; Sevmia $325.048, off-formulary interchangeable; Wegovy off-formulary interchangeable, no price; Rybelsus $7.5303 per tablet; no tirzepatide row). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
- Pedersen SD, Manjoo P, Dash S, Jain A, Pearce N, Poddar M. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacotherapy for Obesity Management in Adults, 2025 update. Obesity Canada, Version 3, 11 August 2025 (recommendations 1–13; six medicines approved for obesity; off-label use discouraged; pregnancy). PDF
- Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC). Semaglutide (Wegovy) SR0841 clinical and pharmacoeconomic review (“The unit cost is $388.64 per pen (or $97.16 per dose)”; annual cost $5,066; Ozempic $2,844 to $5,688 a year). 2025. Link
- Health Canada. Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide. News release, 28 April 2026. Link
- Global News / The Canadian Press. Generic semaglutide sales begin in Canada. 20 May 2026. Link
- Alberta Blue Cross. Pharmacy Benefact 1330, July 2026 (generic semaglutide added to the Alberta Drug Benefit List from 1 July 2026, interchangeable with Ozempic; Dr. Reddy’s shortage reported 10 July 2026; LCA pricing postponed). PDF
- Eli Lilly Canada. Zepbound (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 11 June 2026 (indications; “The ZEPBOUND multi-dose KwikPen contains 4 doses”; doses; SURMOUNT-1 and -2 results and adverse reactions; coadministration with Mounjaro not recommended; contraindications). PDF
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Medical services by phone (811 in most provinces and Yukon; Info-Santé 811 in Quebec; other numbers in Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
- BC PharmaCare. Drug coverage decision: semaglutide (Wegovy), “Non-benefit”, 18 December 2025 (pCPA negotiations concluded without agreement on 1 December 2025; Novo Nordisk no longer seeking public coverage; generic semaglutide to be reviewed). PDF
Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. We don’t sell, prescribe or recommend any brand or provider. How we write