Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY.N) announced on Monday that it has filed lawsuits against three medical spas and online vendors for selling products that falsely claim to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its widely-used weight-loss medication, Zepbound. This includes offerings in the form of dissolvable tablets.
The lawsuits target Pivotal Peptides, MangoRx, and Genesis Lifestyle Medicine of Nevada, marking the first legal actions related to copycat tirzepatide products since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the drug from its list of medicines in short supply earlier this month. Lilly clarified that these lawsuits were independent of the supply issue resolution and could have been initiated regardless.
Pivotal Peptides has claimed to offer research-grade tirzepatide, while MangoRx markets a compounded version online. Genesis Lifestyle Medicine is accused of selling and administering compounded tirzepatide formulations.
Lilly alleges that Pivotal Peptides is unlawfully selling products directly to patients without prescriptions, despite advertising them for research purposes. The lawsuits were filed in federal and state courts across Indiana, Texas, and Washington, citing false advertising and promotion as key issues. Prior to litigation, Lilly sent a cease-and-desist letter to Pivotal Peptides.
“Lilly is taking these actions to safeguard American consumers from potential health risks,” stated a company spokesperson. “The defendants are making misleading claims about efficacy and safety while misrepresenting the clinical data supporting their products.”
This latest legal move follows Lilly’s previous lawsuits against over two dozen medical spas, wellness centers, and compounding pharmacies involved in selling products claiming to contain tirzepatide. The drug is also approved for treating type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro.
In its recent filings, Lilly highlighted that MangoRx was marketing an oral version of tirzepatide branded as “Trim,” despite the absence of any studies validating its safety or effectiveness. To date, the FDA has only approved tirzepatide as an injectable medication.
Following Lilly’s cease-and-desist notice, Pivotal Peptides reportedly altered its website to indicate it was under maintenance and shifted its sales strategy to email, social media, and word-of-mouth channels.
Additionally, Lilly accused Genesis of marketing compounded tirzepatide with vitamin B12, asserting that such combinations are “untested” and expose consumers to unnecessary risks.
Eli Lilly is seeking court orders to prevent these vendors from selling their products claiming to contain tirzepatide and is pursuing unspecified monetary damages.
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