As the demand for affordable healthcare options grows, the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly focused on developing generic drugs to expand access and reduce costs. This trend is driving major players to seek FDA approvals for generic versions of popular medications, reshaping the competitive landscape and providing more choices for consumers.
Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE:TEVA), announced the FDA approval and U.S. launch of a generic version of Novo Nordisk A/S' (NYSE:NVO) Saxenda (liraglutide injection).
“With this approval, and by launching a generic for Saxenda (liraglutide injection), we will provide patients in the U.S. the first ever generic GLP-1 product specifically indicated for weight loss,” said Ernie Richardsen, SVP, Head of U.S. Commercial Generics at Teva.
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“This is the fifth first-to-market entry of a Teva generic this year and is an important addition to Teva’s diverse complex generics portfolio.”
Saxenda had annual sales of $165 million as of June 2025.
According to a study published in June 2024, Saxenda (liraglutide), an earlier-generation weight loss drug, reveals significant declines in bone density among patients in the hips, spine, and forearm.
The observation that bone mass density (BMD) decreased with liraglutide alone but not in combination with exercise supports using exercise with obesity medications in populations with reduced bone mass (e.g., after menopause).
The low-calorie diet increased P-CTX, the marker of bone resorption (destruction of bone tissues), by 27% and P-P1NP, the marker of bone formation, by 7%.
In December, Novo Nordisk submitted a Citizen Petition to the FDA requesting the exclusion of liraglutide from the 503B Bulks List, a registry of substances that outsourcing facilities may use in drug compounding.
The petition argues that FDA-approved liraglutide-based products, Victoza, Saxenda, and Xultophy, meet the needs of patients without requiring additional compounded versions, which Novo Nordisk contends pose significant safety and efficacy risks.
TEVA Price Action: Teva Pharmaceutical Indus shares were down 0.47% at $17.96 at the time of publication on Thursday, down 15.66% since the start of the year. The stock is trading within its 52-week range of $12.46 to $22.80, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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