Aug 5 (Reuters) - Swiss generic drug manufacturer Sandoz

plans to launch unbranded weight-loss drugs in Canada at

discounts of up to 70% compared to branded versions once

patents begin to expire next year, CEO Richard Saynor told the

Financial Times.

Sandoz is yet to finalise the pricing for its generic

weight-loss and diabetes drug semaglutide, but a price cut of

"60 or 70 per cent of the list price" was achievable, Saynor

told the newspaper.

Prices could drop further as more generic versions

become available, Saynor said, noting, "If you were selling this

at $40 or $50 a month, the market could be two or three times

bigger in terms of the number of patients."

Branded weight-loss and diabetes medications, such as Novo

Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly's ( LLY ) Mounjaro and

Zepbound, are currently priced between $200 and $400 for a

one-month supply, according to the FT report.

Novo Nordisk's medications use semaglutide as the active

ingredient, while Eli Lilly's ( LLY ) medications use tirzepatide.

Sandoz did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for

comment.

The move comes as demand for weight-loss and diabetes drugs

has surged globally, driven by their effectiveness in managing

obesity and diabetes.

Last month, a top Biocon executive told Reuters that the

biopharmaceutical company aims to launch generic copies of the

blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy in Canada within the next

two years.