According to the Securities Times APP, the American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co (LLY.US) recently requested users of its popular weight loss drug's generic version to provide their medical records to the company for safety reasons which may be aimed at combating enterprises or pharmacies selling generic versions of the weight-loss compound drugs. Some drug dispensaries have utilized a legal provision allowing them to sell generic versions of Lilly's popular weight loss drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro when Lilly's authentic drugs are in short supply. Although Lilly has raised questions about the quality of these products, some state inspections have found concerning practices, yet these pharmacies have stated that they comply with the law to help Americans obtain the necessary medications.

"We recently learned that you have obtained one of our products from a compound pharmacy," Eli Lilly & Co wrote in a letter. "We would be grateful if you could complete the accompanying form and sign the medical information release authorization so that we can obtain more detailed information about your experience from the treating physician."

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly & Co confirmed the authenticity of this letter, stating it is part of the company's ongoing efforts to monitor the market and evaluate the safety of its drugs. A spokesperson mentioned that Lilly sometimes reaches out to individuals who have had previous interactions with the company but did not provide further details.

Eli Lilly and its strongest competitor in the weight-loss drug sector, novo-nordisk a/s, have long experienced shortages of weight-loss drugs. They have taken a series of actions to combat medical spas, private doctors, and some drug dispensaries selling or promoting generic drugs. However, many pharmacies and telemedicine companies continue to insist on providing these drugs, relying on federal laws that allow the preparation of these drugs during shortages.

Contradictions between brands and generic drug manufacturers

Scott Bruner, CEO of the industry trade organization "Pharmacy Compounding Alliance," said: "I am absolutely shocked that Eli Lilly is seeking confidential patient medical records to build a proprietary case against therapies benefiting these patients when Lilly's own drugs are unable to help these patients."

This letter is the latest sign of escalating conflict between brand pharmaceutical manufacturers and companies that manufacture and sell generic versions of drugs. Wall Street investment institutions have indicated that this combination of generic weight loss drugs could generate revenue of up to $1 billion for pharmacies.

However, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks has not backed down from this fight. In an interview, Ricks stated that the compounders "use unidentified, unapproved substances of unknown quality and purity," but did not provide documentation to substantiate these claims. "We're using our legal tools to address this issue and we can challenge the prescribers."

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed the ongoing shortage of Eli Lilly drugs since December 2022. Recently, the drug supply situation has improved. Ricks expects these drugs to be officially free from shortage soon and believes that the FDA should take more supportive measures to prevent an increase in the use of combination generic therapies during this period.

Eli Lilly is striving to capture a larger market share in the weight loss drug market.

Eli Lilly is seizing more market share in the current duopoly market dominated by 'Novo-Lilly'. In June, the company placed full-page ads in several publications nationwide, targeting the thriving market: 'We make weight loss drugs. But we want to ensure that you are taking the real product,' the ad states.

A recent study found that in a group of obese patients using Eli Lilly and Co's Mounjaro (core component tirzepatide, i.e., tirzepatide) for weight loss and diabetes treatment, the weight loss effect was significantly greater compared to patients using the drug Ozempic from novo-nordisk a/s (core component semaglutide, i.e., semaglutide) that has similar dual weight loss and diabetes treatment properties.

The above research is of great significance for the two pharmaceutical giants, 'Eli Lilly and Co' and 'Novo-nordisk a/s', which are forming a monopoly in the weight loss drug market. It may prompt more obese patients or people trying to lose weight through injections to turn to 'Eli Lilly and Co' instead of 'Novo-nordisk a/s', which may also have a boosting effect on 'Eli Lilly and Co's stock price.

According to research data from Bloomberg Intelligence, the market size of weight loss drugs such as 'Eli Lilly and Co' is expected to reach at least $80 billion by 2030. However, the expectation of Wall Street giant 'Goldman Sachs' is even more optimistic. A forecast report from 'Goldman Sachs' shows that by 2030, the annual sales of the global anti-obesity drug market may increase to around $130 billion, while the annual sales in early 2023 were only $6 billion. The World Obesity Federation (WOF) predicts that by 2035, more than 4 billion people (more than half of the world's population) may suffer from obesity to varying degrees.

Earlier this week, a spokesperson for remote medical company Noom Inc. said that the company has released its own advertisement in response to recent comments by Eli Lilly and Co. about combination drugs.

Some pharmacies in the USA have stated that they manufacture high-quality weight loss medications using genuine ingredients provided by legitimate suppliers, and they play a vital role in providing medications when the FDA-approved versions are in short supply.