Novo Nordisk Sues Additional US Clinics Against Fake Semaglutide Products Used For Weight Loss, Diabetes

Novo Nordisk A/S NVO has reportedly filed lawsuits against nine additional U.S. medical spas, wellness clinics, and pharmacies for selling products claiming to contain semaglutide, the key ingredient in its popular weight-loss drug, Wegovy.

This move brings the total number of lawsuits by the Danish drugmaker to 21 since June, with five sellers already barred from selling their disputed products.

An amended lawsuit revealed that some samples tested were up to 33% impure.

The new lawsuits target Aesthetic Maison, BOF Medical Center, DoctorsRx, G2 Telemedicine, GenericOzempic.com, MD Exam, MediOAK Pharmacy, Midtown Express, and Weight Loss MD. Filed in federal courts across Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Montana, Texas, and Tennessee.

In its lawsuit against Aesthetic Maison, Novo alleged the company was selling products claiming to contain semaglutide directly to patients without a prescription from a medical professional.

Reuters noted that the testing revealed Midtown Express’s drug contained no semaglutide, and MediOAK’s product was far weaker than advertised.

Additionally, Novo filed new allegations against Florida-based pharmacies TruLife and WellHealth, first sued in July, stating that WellHealth’s products had up to 24% impurities, including formaldehyde adduct, dimers, and other unknown impurities. Similar impurities were found in TruLife’s products.

Scott Brunner, CEO of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, emphasized that legitimate compounded drugs should not be confused with counterfeit or sub-par substances created by entities exploiting patient demand.

Novo Nordisk’s primary competitor in the obesity drug market, Eli Lilly And Co LLY, has also taken legal action against several medical spas, weight-loss clinics, and compounding pharmacies over the past year.

These lawsuits aim to stop the sale of products claiming to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its weight-loss drug, Zepbound.

At least four of Lilly’s lawsuits have been settled, withdrawn, or dismissed.

Price Action: NVO shares are up 1.02% at $134.15 at the last check on Friday.

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

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