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

The approvals follow a regulatory assessment of the medicines' quality, safety, and effectiveness. Although the products contain the same active ingredient, the PPB says they do not necessarily have the same approved uses.

The regulator has also warned the public against using semaglutide medicines without medical supervision, particularly for weight loss.

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

Kenya previously had two original semaglutide products, Ozempic and Wegovy, both manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. A generic product known as Truglyx was also launched in Nairobi last month during a conference focused on diabetes and obesity.

According to the PPB, Ozempic is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is not adequately controlled and should be used alongside diet and physical activity.

The five newly registered generic semaglutide products have also been approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Wegovy, however, has a different approved indication. It is authorised for weight management among adults with a high body mass index (BMI), alongside diet and exercise, and can support both initial weight loss and long-term weight management.

PPB Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed Mohamed said patients should not assume that different semaglutide products can be substituted for one another simply because they contain the same active ingredient.

"While these products contain the same active ingredient, their approved uses are not necessarily interchangeable and must be understood with reference to the indication approved for each product,” Dr Ahmed said. 

The growing popularity of semaglutide, particularly because of its weight-loss effects, has also raised concerns about inappropriate use.

The PPB has previously warned about the increasing off-label and unsupervised use of semaglutide products, especially Ozempic, for weight loss. It is urging members of the public not to use the medicines for self-directed weight loss or buy them from unauthorised sources.

Dr Ahmed said semaglutide medicines are prescription-only and should only be used after assessment and prescription by a qualified healthcare professional.

“Semaglutide-containing medicines are prescription-only medicines and should only be used following appropriate assessment and prescription by a qualified healthcare professional,” he said.

The new approvals come as Kenya continues to face a growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Having more approved medicines could give healthcare providers additional treatment options, but the regulator says appropriate prescribing, monitoring, and patient education remain essential.

For patients, the PPB's message is clear: semaglutide should not be treated as an ordinary weight-loss product. The correct medicine, dose, and indication should be determined by a qualified healthcare professional, and products should be obtained through authorised channels.