Novo Nordisk loses patent in Canada over drug that underlies Ozempic - over $450!

[thewayne]

That's $450.00, as in I can pull that out of an ATM pretty much any time. Not $450 million. A little under five hundred bucks, and they lost their lock on their second largest market.

The Slashdot summary says it best:
"Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk forfeited patent protection for semaglutide -- the active ingredient in blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy -- in Canada after failing to pay a $450 maintenance fee in 2019. The company had paid maintenance fees through 2018 but requested a refund for the 2017 fee, apparently seeking more time to decide whether to continue protecting the patent.

When the 2019 fee came due at $450 with late penalties, Novo never paid despite having a one-year grace period. Canadian patent authorities confirmed the patent "cannot be revived" once lapsed. The oversight is particularly costly given Canada represents the world's second-largest semaglutide market, worth billions annually. Generic drugmaker Sandoz plans to launch a competing version in early 2026, while Novo's U.S. patent protection extends until at least 2032.

WOW. That's certainly going to tarnish some board member's CV. But it's going to make a bunch of Canadian's a lot thinner!

https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/novo-nordisk-s-canadian-mistake

https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/06/16/1438211/novo-nordisk-loses-canadian-patent-protection-for-blockbuster-diabetes-drug-over-unpaid-450-fee

Comments

[gingeriana]

A seemingly minor fuckup with a butterfly effect, huh

On a separate note, can't comprehend how Canada can be the second largest market for that shit. We aren't that fat! Or maybe it's my Quebec prospective, idk

[dewline]

*looks around Ontario, remembering their life in the prairie provinces*

Oh, yeah, we can have metabolic troubles of our own. Not simply over-eating either, but accumulating body fat regardless of our choices and intentions.

[thewayne]

There's also the diabetes origin of the drug.

[thewayne]

It's possible that the diabetic drug side of it makes it the second largest market, I don't know.

[silveradept]

Penny-foolish, pound-foolish in this case, but also, I personally am more than happy to have a company not be able to charge arbitrary prices for something just so they can fill their own pockets with money extracted from patients and insurance companies.

[thewayne]

I wonder if they'll jack up the price in the USA to make up the diff.  It wouldn't be out of character.

[kaishin108]

That is wild!

[thewayne]

Someone really, really screwed up!

[disneydream06]

WOWZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Somebody's head is going to roll. :o :o :o
Hugs, Jon

[thewayne]

Most definitely!

[disneydream06]

Probably not the one that should though.
They will pick a peon. :o

[thewayne]

Yeah, sacrifice someone who doesn't earn 6-7 digits.

[disneydream06]

ARGH.......