Ozempic's patent expires now in which two countries?

• A. China and India
• B. United States and Canada
• C. Germany and France
• D. Brazil and Mexico

Answer: (A)

Patent protection for a drug is country-specific and ends at different times depending on when the patent was filed and any extensions granted there. Once a patent expires in a market, generic manufacturers can seek approval to sell cheaper versions, increasing competition and lowering prices there. For Ozempic, the protection covering its key active molecule has reached expiration in China and India, so those two markets are now open to generics. In other countries, patent protection may still be in effect, delaying generic entry until their patents lapse or are invalidated. The important idea is that expiration happens country by country, not worldwide.