(Updates with Eli Lilly's response in the fifth and sixth paragraphs.)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) said Tuesday it filed a lawsuit against Eli Lilly (LLY) in US District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging the drugmaker's advertising for Zepbound and Mounjaro violates federal and state false advertising and unfair competition laws.
Novo Nordisk said Lilly's ads compare Zepbound and Mounjaro with lower doses of Wegovy and Ozempic while omitting information about higher-dose versions of the semaglutide drugs, making the ads misleading.
The company said it is seeking a permanent injunction to stop the advertising and require Lilly to run corrective ads.
Novo Nordisk added it plans to seek a preliminary injunction after Lilly declined to remove or revise the campaigns following a cease-and-desist request.
An Eli Lilly spokesperson toldin an emailed response that rather than competing on the merits of its products, Novo is urging the court to stop it from communicating trial results, and it will defend against the lawsuit vigorously.
"We stand firmly behind our advertising. It is truthful, it is transparent, and it is grounded in the most direct scientific evidence available - exactly what patients deserve," the spokesperson added.
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