Novo Nordisk has announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Eli Lilly and Company in the United States, alleging that Lilly's advertising campaigns for its GLP-1 medicines are misleading and do not present complete scientific information.
According to Novo Nordisk, the lawsuit challenges advertisements for Zepbound and Mounjaro, which compare Lilly's medicines with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic. The company claims the advertisements do not include information about the latest approved higher doses of Wegovy, which it believes could give patients and healthcare professionals an incomplete picture of the available evidence.
Novo Nordisk stated that it had previously sent a cease-and-desist letter asking Eli Lilly to stop the advertising campaign and issue corrections. However, the company said the advertisements continued, leading it to seek legal action in a US federal court.
The company said that people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes deserve accurate, balanced, and up-to-date information when making treatment decisions. It added that promotional materials should reflect the latest scientific evidence and approved product information.
In response, Eli Lilly said it stands by its advertising and believes its promotional claims are truthful, transparent, and supported by scientific evidence. The company has indicated that it will defend the lawsuit.
The legal dispute highlights the growing competition between Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly in the rapidly expanding GLP-1 market, where both companies are competing to develop and market treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
