Ozempic Patent Screw Up, Amazon Health Reorg, Neuralink Breakthrough

Hey all,

happy Monday! Reading that Novo forgot to pay a patent maintenance fee actually made me laugh out loud—definitely not on my 2025 bingo card that affordable GLP-1 access would be brought to you by Canadian Ozempic knockoffs and one really expensive clerical error. Enjoy the rundown!

Jacob Brody (Co-Founder & CEO, ZorroRX)

(Science) and Novo Nordisk’s Canadian Mistake

Novo Nordisk let its Canadian patent for semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) lapse by skipping a $450 maintenance fee, setting the stage for generic versions to launch in Canada by 2026—well ahead of the U.S. patent expiration in 2032. With Canada being the second-largest market for the drug and cross-border demand already strong, this error could accelerate calls for mass importation of cheaper generics into the U.S. Whoever forgot to cut that $450 check is probably exploring exciting new opportunities—outside the pharmaceutical industry. Full Article

(CNBC) Amazon Reorganizes Its Health-Care Business After Executive Departures

Amazon is restructuring its health-care division into six new “pillars” to simplify its organization and accelerate innovation following several high-profile executive exits. This overhaul reflects Amazon’s continued struggle to establish a cohesive strategy in the complex U.S. health-care market despite investing billions in acquisitions like PillPack and One Medical; the new structure aims to improve patient experience and operational efficiency. Without owning a PBM, Amazon can’t just strong-arm patients into using its pharmacy the old-fashioned way. Full Article

(Bloomberg) Neuralink Device Enables Visual Perception in Monkeys

Neuralink has demonstrated that its brain implant, Blindsight, can make a monkey perceive an object that isn’t physically present, moving its eyes toward the illusion roughly two-thirds of the time. This milestone represents early progress in Neuralink’s quest to restore vision in blind individuals and, ultimately, achieve enhanced sensory perception beyond human norms. With human trials planned for later this year, the company continues advancing brain-computer interfaces that could also help paralyzed patients regain mobility and communication. Full Article