Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) has filed a federal lawsuit against Eli Lilly, alleging that its rival's advertising campaigns for blockbuster GLP-1 obesity and diabetes drugs mislead consumers about the effectiveness of competing treatments.
The complaint, filed on July 21, 2026, in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, challenges nationwide advertisements for Lilly's Zepbound and Mounjaro that Novo claims rely on outdated clinical trial data and create an inaccurate comparison between the companies' medicines.
Novo alleges that Lilly's campaigns compare the highest approved doses of its drugs with lower doses of Novo's treatments, while excluding newer data from higher-dose versions of Wegovy. The company argues that the advertisements give consumers the impression that Lilly's medicines deliver superior weight-loss results, despite newer evidence showing more comparable outcomes at higher doses.
The lawsuit specifically targets advertisements comparing Zepbound's 10 mg and 15 mg doses with Wegovy's earlier 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg doses, while not including data from Wegovy's newer 7.2 mg dose. Novo also argues that comparisons between Mounjaro and Ozempic do not account for Ozempic's higher 2 mg maintenance dose.
According to separate late-stage trial data cited by Reuters, patients receiving Lilly's highest Zepbound dose lost around 48 pounds on average, while those receiving Novo's higher-dose Wegovy formulation lost around 47 pounds.
Novo is asking the court to permanently stop Lilly from running the disputed advertisements, require corrective advertising and award financial damages. The company said it previously requested that Lilly remove or revise certain ads but filed the lawsuit after those requests were not addressed.
John Kuckelman, Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO)'s group general counsel, in an interview said the advertisements leave consumers with the impression that Lilly's medicines are superior to Novo's treatments, which he argued was inaccurate.
Lilly defended its advertising practices, saying it stands "firmly behind our advertising" and that its comparisons are based on direct clinical evidence.
The company said its Zepbound advertisements use a head-to-head clinical trial comparing Zepbound with Wegovy, which remains the only direct study between the two medicines.
"It is truthful, it is transparent, and it is grounded in the most direct scientific evidence available — exactly what patients deserve," Lilly said. "We will continue to focus on the science and defend against this lawsuit vigorously."
The lawsuit adds another point of competition between the two drugmakers as they seek to grow their presence in the weight-loss and diabetes treatment market.
Shares of Novo Nordisk were little changed at about $50 on the news, while Eli Lilly shares are up 1.5% at $1,162.
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