Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers over obesity drug copycats
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The news: Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said that it is suing telehealth company Hims & Hers Health for mass marketing unapproved versions of Novo’s new Wegovy obesity pill and injection in the US.
The context: Novo said it asked a Delaware court to permanently ban Hims from selling unapproved, compounded drugs that infringe its patents. Novo said it is seeking to recover damages.
The legal action escalates the ongoing feud between the two drugmakers, after Hims said it would stop offering the new copycat obesity pills after legal threats from Novo and scrutiny from federal US regulators.
Last week, Hims announced plans to offer the pills for USD49 ($69.4) for the first month, significantly undercutting Novo’s approved Wegovy pill.
Novo’s new lawsuit also targets Hims’ plans to launch weight loss injections that mimic its Wegovy and Ozempic treatments. It alleges that Hims products including its weight-loss injections are compounded forms of semaglutide and therefore infringe on Novo’s patent.
What they said: Senior VP, group general counsel for Novo, John F Kuckelman said in a statement: “Hims & Hers is mass marketing unapproved knock-off versions of Wegovy and Ozempic that evade the FDA’s gold standard review process – that’s dangerous and deceptive to patients, and undermines the scientific innovation and regulatory rigor in place to ensure these treatments are safe and effective.”
The sources: Novo Nordisk, WSJ, Bloomberg, CNBC
