Hims & Hers expands to Canada
Hims & Hers announced today that it plans to bring its holistic weight loss program to Canada in 2026.
Dear growth investors,
Hims & Hers (Ticker: HIMS) announced today that it plans to bring its holistic weight-loss program to Canada in 2026. This move follows the recent acquisition of ZAVA, a digital health platform in Europe. Why is the Canadian market so interesting?
Hims & Hers announced today that it will bring its holistic weight-loss program to Canada starting in 2026. The company plans to offer access to more affordable treatment options through its digital platform, coupled with 24/7 access to licensed providers and personalized, clinically supported care plans.
"Canada presents an excellent opportunity to demonstrate what affordable, high-quality weight loss treatments can look like," said Andrew Dudum, co-founder and CEO of Hims & Hers. "With generic semaglutide now available worldwide, we are focused on making it truly accessible by combining affordability with trusted, personalized care at scale."
The Canadian market entry coincides with the launch of generic semaglutide. This is an important step toward expanding access to affordable weight loss. Two-thirds of adults in Canada are overweight or obese. Brand-name semaglutide currently costs more than 200 Canadian dollars per month without clinical supervision. Generic semaglutide is expected to be significantly less expensive than the brand-name versions.
“With generic semaglutide becoming available globally for the first time, we are focused on making it truly accessible by combining affordability with trusted, personalized care at scale,” said Andrew Dudum, co-founder and CEO.
Generic semaglutide refers to the non-branded version of the active ingredient semaglutide. Semaglutide is a medication originally known under the brand name Ozempic® (for type 2 diabetes) and later also as Wegovy® (for obesity). It belongs to the class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Mode of action:
Semaglutide mimics the body's own hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1).
It promotes insulin release, inhibits glucagon production, and slows gastric emptying.
This helps lower blood sugar levels and reduce feelings of hunger.
What does "generic" mean?
Once a drug's patent expires, other manufacturers are permitted to manufacture and sell the drug under the generic name.
Why can Hims & Hers sell "Generic Semaglutide" without risking a lawsuit from Novo Nordisk?
Based on documents from the Canadian Patent Database, Novo Nordisk originally held a patent for semaglutide in Canada. However, the last time they paid the required annual maintenance fee was back in 2018.
In 2017, Novo Nordisk’s lawyers actually requested a refund for the maintenance fee of CA$250 (about $185 USD), as they wanted more time to decide whether to keep paying. Two years later, the Canadian patent office sent a letter stating that the fee, now including a late charge that brought the total to CA$450, had not been received by the deadline. Although Novo Nordisk had a one-year grace period to make this payment, they never did. As a result, the patent officially lapsed in Canada in 2020 when the payment wasn't received, even though it was originally set to expire in January. Because the patent lapsed Hims & Hers can now legally sell generic semaglutide in Canada without the risk of patent infringement lawsuits from Novo Nordisk.
What do you say about the expansion plans?
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