Novo Nordisk Widens Wegovy Lawsuits but Leaves Hims & Hers Untouched

Novo Nordisk has widened its U.S. legal campaign against sellers of compounded versions of its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, filing 14 additional lawsuits this week against small pharmacies, telehealth providers and weight-loss clinics. The Danish company has now brought more than 130 cases in 40 states, alleging trademark infringement and patient-safety risks tied to copycat formulations of semaglutide, Wegovy’s active ingredient. Despite the broader crackdown, the complaints still do not name Hims & Hers Health, a fast-growing telehealth platform that continues to market personalised, compounded versions of Wegovy at lower prices. Novo said further action remains possible but declined to comment specifically on Hims, with which it briefly partnered earlier this year before accusing the firm of violating intellectual property and endangering patients. Analysts say the scatter-shot litigation could be designed to pressure larger players such as Hims into a settlement and to test legal arguments around compounding, an area the Food and Drug Administration moved to tighten with a 22 May deadline for pharmacies to cease mass-producing semaglutide copies. Hims argues its bespoke dosing remains permissible under the rules, calling personalised medicine “the future of healthcare.” Legal scholars note that Novo’s prior collaboration with Hims could complicate any eventual case. "Business happens in the shadow of the law," said Robin Feldman, a professor at UC Law San Francisco, adding that companies often target smaller rivals first "as a shot across the bow". Investors, meanwhile, welcome Novo’s more aggressive stance but remain uncertain why the high-profile telehealth firm has so far avoided a lawsuit.