Novo Nordisk has sued five medical spas and wellness clinics for reportedly selling unauthorized and cheaper versions of its weight loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy.
The lawsuits were filed in New York, Texas, Florida, and Tennessee federal courts.
The company accuses these clinics of marketing and selling “compounded” drug products that claim to contain semaglutide, the active ingredient found in both Ozempic and Wegovy.Â
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Compounded drugs are custom-made treatments not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Since Novo Nordisk is the sole patent holder of semaglutide, it does not supply this ingredient to external entities.
The exact composition of the products being sold by the clinics remains unclear.
The Danish drugmaker is seeking court orders to halt the sale of these unauthorized drugs and unspecified monetary damages.
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It said these clinics’ unlawful marketing and sales practices, including Novo Nordisk trademarks, pose a significant risk of consumer confusion, deception, and potential safety concerns.
The medical spas and wellness clinics named in the lawsuits include Pro Health Investments, Champion Health & Wellness Clinics, Flawless Image Medical Aesthetics, Effinger Health, and Ekzotika Corp.
The latter clinic offers a Groupon deal for a one-week “semaglutide weight management program” priced at $30.
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These lawsuits come amid a shortage of Wegovy and Ozempic, leading to a surge in compounded alternatives claiming to be equivalent to the popular injections.
The FDA recently issued warnings about the safety risks associated with unauthorized versions of Ozempic and Wegovy after reports of adverse health reactions to compounded versions of these drugs.Â
Additionally, several states have threatened legal action against compounding pharmacies producing or distributing unapproved variations of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss treatments.
