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Novo Nordisk sues Eli Lilly over alleged false ads for weight-loss drugs

Novo is asking a US court to order Eli Lilly to pull its commercials and, if needed, to pursue a preliminary injunction.

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Novo Nordisk has filed a lawsuit in the United States accusing Eli Lilly of false advertising tied to Eli Lilly's weight-loss medicines, including claims made through nationwide ad campaigns. The Danish company says the ads were designed to create a misleading impression that Eli Lilly's drugs are superior.

Novo argues that Eli Lilly compared the highest approved doses of Lilly products against lower doses of Novo medicines, while omitting newer, higher-dose options. The company specifically points to comparisons of Mounjaro versus Ozempic and Zepbound versus Wegovy.

Novo says Eli Lilly committed multiple violations of federal and state false advertising and unfair competition laws by using outdated studies and by presenting products as superior while burying or omitting critical clinical context. According to the lawsuit, fine-print disclaimers do not fix the broader message created by major national campaigns.

Novo is seeking a court order requiring Eli Lilly to remove the ads and run what it calls a corrective advertising campaign. BBC Business reports that if Eli Lilly does not voluntarily take down the commercials, Novo plans to file a motion in the coming days to seek a preliminary injunction to block them.

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