Swiss generics manufacturer Sandoz plans to launch unbranded GLP-1 weight-loss medicines in Canada at discounts of up to 70 % to current branded products once key patents start to lapse next year, Chief Executive Richard Saynor told the Financial Times. The company aims to capitalise on surging demand for therapies that mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which are widely used for both obesity and type-2 diabetes but remain prohibitively expensive for many patients. The push for lower prices comes as developers seek formulations and regimens that address cost and convenience barriers. A 68-week randomised trial of an oral version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, showed average weight loss of 14.3 % compared with 1.3 % for placebo, offering a needle-free alternative that could broaden uptake of the drug class. Digital health company Noom this week introduced a ‘Microdose GLP-1Rx’ service that begins patients on one-quarter of the customary dose at an introductory price of US$119 for the first month and US$199 thereafter. The company reports that 70 % of users experience no side effects and lose up to 11 lb within 30 days. Together, Sandoz’s cut-price generics, promising oral data and lower-dose telehealth offerings signal intensifying competition in a market poised for rapid expansion as patent protections wane.