Novo Nordisk Sues Eli Lilly Over Drug Ads
Novo Nordisk sued Eli Lilly on Tuesday. The lawsuit was filed in a US federal court in New Jersey.
Novo Nordisk claims Lilly used old clinical data in ads. The ads compared Lilly's Zepbound and Mounjaro to Novo's Wegovy and Ozempic.
The two companies compete in the weight-loss and diabetes drug market. Novo Nordisk asked the court to stop Lilly running the ads for good.
It also wants Lilly to publish corrected ads. Novo Nordisk is also seeking money including Lilly's profits from the ads.
Reports say Novo sent Lilly a warning letter in April 2026. This followed approval of a higher-dose Wegovy.
Sources say Lilly did not reply to the letter. Instead Lilly added a disclaimer to its ads.
Lilly has defended its advertising in public. The company said it stands firmly behind its advertising. Lilly said its Zepbound-Wegovy comparison uses the only direct clinical trial available.
Key Terms 3
- GLP-1 drugs Medicines used for weight loss and treating diabetes.
- cease-and-desist letter A formal warning demanding someone stop an action.
- corrective advertising New ads ordered to fix misleading claims.