Novo Nordisk Sues Florida Compounding Pharmacies Over Impurities In Products Claiming To Contain Wegovy Ingredient

Novo Nordisk A/S NVO has reportedly taken legal action against Florida compounding pharmacies, suing one and refiling a lawsuit against another, as it discovered impurities in their products claiming to contain the active ingredient, semaglutide, for its popular weight-loss drug Wegovy. 

The Danish drugmaker found these impurities to be as high as 33% in some instances, raising concerns about the safety and efficacy of the compounded drugs.

In the lawsuits filed in Florida on Wednesday, Novo Nordisk highlighted findings of impure substances in products from Wells Pharmacy and Brooksville Pharmaceuticals, both based in Florida. 

Novo previously initiated legal proceedings against Brooksville in July and later found a substance known as BPC-157 in samples from Wells.

The FDA's ban on BPC-157 from use in compounded drugs in September further underscored concerns, citing potential harmful effects on the immune system due to insufficient data.

Citing Jason Brett, an executive at Novo Nordisk, Reuters highlighted the importance of FDA-approved drugs, stating that compounded products lack similar safety, quality, and effectiveness assurances. Novo's lawsuits aim not only to halt the sale of products claiming to contain semaglutide—the primary ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic—but also to prevent Wells Pharmacy from making misleading claims regarding FDA approval or health benefits associated with BPC-157 without disclosing its potential risks.

In a similar vein, Novo's competitor in the obesity drug market, Eli Lilly And Co LLY, has also taken legal action against medical spas, weight-loss clinics, and compounding pharmacies this year. 

Eli Lilly's lawsuits seek to prevent the sale of products falsely claiming to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its diabetes drug Mounjaro and newly approved weight-loss medicine Zepbound.

Price Action: NVO shares are down 0.15% at $101.85 on the last check Thursday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.