New York, U.S. – Eli Lilly (LLY.N) has launched a new ad campaign urging caution against unapproved weight-loss drugs, as it seeks to counteract the rising competition from copies of its popular weight-loss medication.
The ad, which encourages patients to “be a healthy skeptic,” comes in response to the growing number of compounded weight-loss drugs being sold by telehealth firms and compounding pharmacies. One such company, Hims & Hers Health Inc. (HIMS.N), recently aired a commercial at the Super Bowl, promoting a compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO) Wegovy.
Why It Matters
Eli Lilly’s new campaign targets unproven, and sometimes counterfeit, weight-loss drugs circulating online and in certain markets. The message highlights the risks posed by such products, stressing the importance of ensuring safety before taking any medication.
This move represents the latest chapter in a public back-and-forth between weight-loss drug manufacturers like Eli Lilly and companies offering compounded versions of these medications. While compounding pharmacies are allowed to create customized medications when the original drugs are in short supply, these compounded versions have not received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Hims & Hers, which markets compounded versions of Wegovy, faced criticism from some lawmakers for failing to include safety information in their advertisements. In turn, Eli Lilly has joined Novo Nordisk in taking a stand, urging patients to question the source and safety of the drugs they are considering.
Context
Compounding pharmacies mix and alter drug ingredients to create custom medications, which can be sold legally when original drugs are in short supply. However, compounded drugs do not undergo the rigorous testing and approval processes required by the FDA.
Recently, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo’s Wegovy were removed from the FDA’s shortage list, which means that compounded versions of these drugs, previously sold in large quantities, will no longer be allowed to enter the market. This has placed pressure on compounding pharmacies, who are now running out of time to produce these medications.
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have taken legal action against medical spas and compounding pharmacies for selling unapproved versions of their respective drugs, semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound), under misleading claims.
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