February 9, Wilmington, Delaware (Telehealth Giant Caught in Federal Lawsuit) — Novo Nordisk, the company behind the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, has filed a federal lawsuit against telehealth company Hims & Hers, accusing it of breaking patent laws and putting patients at risk by selling copycat versions of its medicine.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. This happened a few days after Hims & Hers said they would sell a special version of Wegovy for as low as $49 a month. The price of $49 a month for Wegovy is really cheap. A lot of people noticed this. People in the United States really want to buy weight-loss drugs now so the demand for weight-loss drugs, like Wegovy is very high.
Novo Nordisk says that Hims & Hers did something. They sold versions of Wegovy that the Food and Drug Administration did not approve. Novo Nordisk thinks this is a problem because it breaks their rules about patents. It also means that Hims & Hers did not do the safety checks that’re important to keep patients safe. Novo Nordisk is concerned, about Wegovy and the people who use it. They want to make sure that everyone follows the rules so that patients are protected. Novo Nordisk says that Hims & Hers selling Wegovy in this way is not okay.
Wegovy is based on a drug called semaglutide. It helps people lose weight by making them feel full longer and reducing hunger. Novo says its pill form of semaglutide is the only GLP-1 drug approved by the FDA specifically for weight loss. The same drug is also sold under the name Ozempic to treat Type 2 diabetes.
Novo Nordisk did not hold back in its criticism. John Kuckelman, the company’s senior vice president and group general counsel, said Hims & Hers is “mass marketing unapproved knock-off versions of Wegovy and Ozempic.” He added that selling these drugs without proper approval is “dangerous and deceptive to patients” and weakens the system designed to make sure medicines are safe and effective.
The drugmaker also claims that even after halting sales of the pill version, Hims & Hers continues to sell compounded injectable versions of semaglutide. Novo argues that these injections copy its FDA-approved drugs and could harm patients if they are made or used incorrectly.
Hims & Hers strongly disagrees. In a statement, the company called the lawsuit a “blatant attack” on consumers and said it is being targeted simply for offering more affordable options.
“Once again, Big Pharma is weaponizing the U.S. judicial system to limit consumer choice,” the company said. Hims & Hers argued that compounded medications have long played an important role in American healthcare, helping patients access treatments for conditions ranging from obesity to cancer when approved drugs are too expensive or hard to find.
Compounded drugs are custom-made by pharmacies and are sometimes allowed when there is a drug shortage. During recent years, shortages of weight-loss drugs opened the door for many compounding pharmacies to step in. However, that window may now be closing.
In February 2025, the FDA officially declared that the shortage of semaglutide was over. The agency also set deadlines for taking action against pharmacies and facilities that continue to make copies of Novo’s drugs. Just last week, on Feb. 6, the FDA said it plans to restrict certain GLP-1 ingredients used in compounded drugs, citing concerns about quality, safety, and effectiveness.
On Feb. 7, following pressure from the FDA, Hims & Hers said it would stop selling its compounded Wegovy pill. Still, Novo’s lawsuit suggests the company believes that move was not enough.
The case highlights a growing fight between big drugmakers and fast-growing telehealth companies. On one side are pharmaceutical giants trying to protect their inventions. On the other are digital health firms pushing for lower prices and wider access to care.
As weight-loss drugs become more popular and more profitable, this legal battle could shape how Americans access these treatments in the future.
What do you think — should cheaper compounded drugs be allowed if they help more people, or should only FDA-approved medicines be sold? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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