Ozempic, Wegovy get new rivals as Kenya approves seven Semaglutide drugs

Kenya's drug regulator has registered seven semaglutide products for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and weight management, as experts warn of rising obesity and diabetes cases in the country.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), semaglutide is a prescription medicine that mimics a natural body hormone to lower blood sugar and reduce appetite. The WHO added it to its Model List of Essential Medicines in September last year.

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) says the approval follows a regulatory evaluation of the quality, safety and efficacy of the medicines, which are sold under different brand names.

Until now, Kenya has had only two original semaglutide products, Ozempic and Wegovy, both manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. A generic option, Truglyx, was launched in Nairobi last month at a conference dubbed Reset Diabesity.

PPB warns that each registration is tied to a specific approved use. Ozempic is approved for adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and physical activity. The five newly registered generic semaglutide products have also been approved for treating type 2 diabetes. Wegovy, on the other hand, is approved specifically for adult weight management alongside diet and exercise, supporting both initial weight loss and long-term maintenance in people with a high Body Mass Index (BMI).

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