Brazil's health regulator Anvisa approved on Thursday (29) the registration of five new injection pens based on liraglutide and semaglutide, drugs from the GLP-1 receptor agonist class used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. The registrations were published in the official gazette, the Diário Oficial da União, according to G1 and Folha de S.Paulo.
Three pens are indicated for diabetes: Aribet (liraglutide), registered by Farma Vision and manufactured by India's Biocon; Embeltah (semaglutide), from Dr. Reddy's, produced by OneSource Specialty, also from India; and Sevema (semaglutide), from Brazilian laboratory Aché, likewise made by OneSource. The other two, Lyrza and Wylovol, both liraglutide products registered by Farma Vision and made by Biocon, are cleared for obesity treatment, always alongside dietary changes and physical exercise.
How many pens have been approved in 2026
The outlets disagree on the year's total. Folha counts 19 approvals in 2026: 12 of semaglutide, six of liraglutide and one new version of Mounjaro (tirzepatide). G1 reports the figure has reached 20. What both newsrooms confirm is the registration of the five new pens announced on Thursday.
The approvals are part of a strategy Anvisa launched in August 2025 to fast-track the review of semaglutide and liraglutide drugs. According to G1, the initiative followed a request from the Health Ministry to widen access to these treatments and secure market supply, and falls under the country's Health Economic-Industrial Complex program. In September, the agency had already approved two liraglutide generics from EMS, linked to Olire, for obesity, and Lirux, for type 2 diabetes. The molecules are the same found in well-known brands: liraglutide is the active ingredient in Saxenda and Victoza, while semaglutide is used in Ozempic and Wegovy.
What registration does and does not guarantee
Sanitary registration confirms the products met quality, safety and efficacy requirements, but it does not set when they will reach pharmacies or at what price. Launch dates and prices have not been disclosed by the manufacturers, and maximum sale prices depend on a decision by CMED, the chamber that regulates Brazil's drug market. More brands may increase competition over time, but there is no guarantee of an immediate price drop.
There are relevant practical differences between the products. Liraglutide is usually injected daily, while injectable semaglutide is administered once a week. A pen approved for diabetes is not automatically authorized for obesity, since indications, doses and treatment schemes vary.
For patients, the guidance stays the same: since 2025, buying these drugs in Brazil requires a medical prescription, which the pharmacy keeps on file. Anyone already using a pen from this class should not switch products or molecules on their own, and the choice among the new options should be made with a doctor, based on each product's approved indication.