Overview

• The lawsuits target telehealth firms and compounding pharmacies, including Prism Aesthetics, Mochi Health and Fella Health, accused of marketing unapproved semaglutide under a false personalization claim.
• GLP-1 drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly generated over $40 billion in combined sales last year, fueling fierce competition and supply strains.
• Both companies are expanding indications with late- and mid-stage trials in Alzheimer’s, alcohol addiction, heart failure and NASH following last December’s FDA approval of Zepbound for obstructive sleep apnea.
• The FDA briefly permitted compounders to fill semaglutide shortages before banning unapproved copies, prompting branded manufacturers to enforce exclusivity through litigation.
• Researchers continue to assess common side effects such as nausea and gallstones alongside serious risks like kidney failure and emerging evidence of anti-cancer benefits beyond weight reduction.