As the gold rush over weight-loss drugs accelerates, Eli Lilly filed lawsuits against several compounding pharmacies, spas and wellness centers around the U.S. for selling unapproved versions of its Mounjaro diabetes drug, which is frequently used for combating obesity.
The drug company accused four compound pharmacies of violating state laws because those versions were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (look here). In other lawsuits, Lilly accused several medical spas and wellness centers of trademark violations, false advertising and unfair competition by selling drugs under the Mounjaro name.
In a statement, Lilly maintained it “cannot validate the safety or effectiveness of products claiming to contain tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) that are not our own branded product… Entities should be stopped from providing drug products in violation of consumer protection laws, particularly where they promise their patients that their drugs offer the same safety profile and clinical benefits.”