Overview
- Novo filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, accusing Lilly of false and unfair advertising under federal and state law for nationwide TV and social campaigns.
- The complaint says Lilly’s ads compare Zepbound and Mounjaro at their highest doses to lower-dose Wegovy and Ozempic data and omit newer evidence for Wegovy’s 7.2 mg dose that Novo says narrows the efficacy gap.
- Novo cites specific ad claims that Zepbound users lost about 50 pounds versus 33 pounds on Wegovy 2.4 mg and says newer Wegovy data show roughly 47 pounds of loss, making Lilly’s implied superiority inaccurate.
- Lilly says its ads rely on the SURMOUNT‑5 head‑to‑head trial and that it will defend the campaign, while Novo says a cease‑and‑desist sent in April yielded only a small, unclear disclaimer and no substantive corrections.
- Novo seeks orders to stop the ads, require corrective advertising and recover damages, and has warned it will move for a preliminary injunction if Lilly does not voluntarily withdraw the disputed campaigns; the case could affect consumer choice and competition in the rapidly growing GLP‑1 market.