There’s nothing worse than a knockoff. Whether it’s a fake designer bag or a dollar store iPhone charger that explodes in your sleep… copycats are annoying.

Unless, of course, they’re offering a semi-legal, dirt-cheap version of a $1,300-a-month weight loss drug that Hollywood, Wall Street, and your Aunt Karen are all hooked on. Yes. I’m talking about companies copying Novo Nordisk, the Danish drugmaker behind the supernova blockbusters Ozempic (for diabetes and celebrities) and Wegovy (for weight loss).

After a brutal month that saw shares drop 28%, Novo finally caught a break… and this time it didn’t come from another TikTok influencer bragging about their “Wegovy glow-up.”

The win happened when a Texas federal judge basically said, “Sit down and shut up” to a group of compounding pharmacies trying to keep cranking out bootleg semaglutide… the active ingredient in Ozempic/Wegovy.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman denied the Outsourcing Facilities Association’s request for a preliminary injunction. So, it sounds like the FDA can now go full scorched-earth on pharmacies pumping out compounded semaglutide now that the drug is no longer officially in shortage. Yeah, the “shortage” loophole was key for these pharmacies. Under FDA rules, if a drug is in short supply, pharmacists can mix up their own version. Think: Breaking Bad, but with less meth and more middle-aged influencers.

Now that the shortage is over the FDA has permission to go full John Wick on compounders. We’re talking product seizures, warning letters, and a swift kick to the revenue stream. This is just the latest chapter in Novo’s Legal saga. The company has filed over 100 lawsuits across 32 states, all aimed at shutting down the pharmacies pushing these “unauthorized” versions. And it’s working. Earlier this week, a separate federal judge also banned Texas-based MediOak Pharmacy from marketing or selling compounded semaglutide forever. 

Even platforms like Hims & Hers got in on the action, offering semaglutide to the masses during the shortage. Novo and the FDA weren’t thrilled. In fact, they were about this close to flipping a table.

As for the stock, it’s been on a crash diet of its own, down big in recent weeks… partly thanks to growing competition, pricing pressure, and some rare scrutiny from regulators. But this legal win gives the company a much-needed bragging right as they aim to control one of the hottest drugs in the world. So much so that, a handful of analysts have upgraded them to a strong buy over the last few weeks.

It’s not about revenue (though trust me, it’s very much about revenue). It’s also about protecting the brand, safety concerns, and stopping pharmacies from turning semaglutide into the supplement aisle version of bootleg Viagra.

Copycats might be cute when they’re toddlers, but in the world of pharma they’re lawsuit bait. Bottom line is, once again... Novo has reminded the world (and its investors) that it’s still the top dog in the weight loss arms race.

Stocks.News has positions in Novo Nordisk and Hims & Hers.