After Legal Action Against Wellness Clinics, Novo Nordisk Accuses Pharmacies Over Illegal Sale Of Semaglutide-Based Products

Novo Nordisk A/S NVO has reportedly filed lawsuits against TruLife Pharmacy, Brooksville Pharmaceuticals, and WellHealth Inc in Florida federal court, accusing the pharmacies of illegally selling products claiming to contain semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's weight loss and diabetes drugs.

Wegovy is an FDA-approved weight-loss drug, while Ozempic and Rybelsus are approved for diabetes treatment.

The FDA warned about the safety risks of using compounded or custom-made versions of popular weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic.

The agency said it had received reports of adverse events after patients used compounded versions of semaglutide.

Novo Nordisk sought court orders to prohibit the pharmacies from selling the products and requested monetary damages.

The defendants are compounding pharmacies specializing in custom drug preparations.

The lawsuits allege that the pharmacies are selling unapproved drugs, violating federal and state laws, and engaging in false competition against Novo Nordisk's approved drugs.

Novo Nordisk argues that the pharmacies' actions create an unfair competitive advantage and jeopardize patient safety.

Recently, Novo Nordisk filed lawsuits against several medical spas, weight-loss clinics, and wellness clinics, alleging they illegally marketed custom-made versions of Ozempic and other Novo Nordisk medicines for weight loss. 

Citing Barclays estimates, Reuters noted that the global weight-loss therapies market will reach up to $100 billion in the next ten years, with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly And Co LLY as the primary beneficiaries.

Price Action: NVO shares are down 0.83% at $157.00 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.