Over 10,000 Lawsuits In Novo Nordisk's Ozempic Case Assigned to New Judge

U.S. District Judge Karen Marston in Philadelphia is set to preside over litigation involving the popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation appointed Marston to manage over 10,000 personal injury lawsuits.

U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter, who had previously been handling the case, had died.

Marston, a former federal prosecutor appointed by Donald Trump in 2019, is expected to move swiftly.

Related: Novo Nordisk Faces Scrutiny Over High Prices of Ozempic And Wegovy, Blames US Health System.

The litigation centers on allegations that the drugmakers failed to warn about potential severe digestive side effects.

Novo Nordisk A/S NVO and Eli Lilly And Co LLY deny the claims.

Marston’s new role comes at a time when one in eight U.S. adults are using GLP-1 class medications, making the case highly publicized.

The drugs are widely used for treating diabetes and weight loss, with plaintiffs alleging the drugs cause conditions such as gastroparesis, severe vomiting, and bowel obstruction.

A key task for Marston will be finalizing the plaintiff’s fact sheet, which will contain essential details on the claimants’ injuries, medical conditions, and drug use.

Defense counsel sees this as an opportunity to narrow the litigation, potentially eliminating claims involving counterfeit products or those without a proper diagnosis of gastroparesis.

However, plaintiffs’ lawyers oppose the premature dismissal of claims and seek additional discovery and bellwether trials to resolve the cases.

Read Next: Australia Bans Replica Versions Of Popular Weight-Loss Drugs From Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly On Safety Concerns.

Price Action: NVO shares are up 0.49% at $143.10 at last check Friday.

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