High-profile drugs under the legal spotlight in 2023

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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. has witnessed a surge in litigation. One factor driving the uptick in the pharmaceutical sector is the rise of copycat litigation. As mass tort activity amplifies, plaintiff lawyers are treating previously filed lawsuits as templates for new claims. Examples of the trend include steadily increasing nitrosamines litigation and allegations of laminal duct obstruction against the chemotherapeutic agent Taxotere (docetaxel), as Greenberg Traurig has noted. Additionally, plaintiff-affiliated labs are intensifying their efforts to test various products for potentially harmful chemicals.

Amidst this backdrop, the heartburn medication Zantac (ranitidine) has found itself at the center of a litigation storm. Data from X-Ante, a litigation analysis firm, reveals the drug is the most frequent drug target of mass tort TV advertising in 2023 based on estimated ad s…

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  • September 20, 2023
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The battle of the bulge: Semaglutide and tirzapatide could be new weight-loss warriors

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A pair of weight-loss drugs —  semaglutide and tirzapatide — could reshape the way we view and treat obesity, according to a Moody’s report dated May 18. The ratings firm notes that Novo Nordisk could benefit from a first-mover advantage in the obesity market as it now has two novel weight loss drugs on the market: Saxenda (liraglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide). Semaglutide has already emerged as an example of a ‘viral’ drug, as Harvard Health Publishing noted earlier this year, owing to its popularity on social media and with celebrities. A YouGov survey found that 60% of Americans had heard about this class of weight loss drugs.

If Lilly’s tirzepatide, the first dual GIP/GLP- coagonist, wins approval for obesity, its developer could also profit handsomely. In April, analysts projected that annual tirzepatide sales could hit $50 billion by 2030.

Tirzapa…

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  • May 24, 2023
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