Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is taking a local compounding pharmacy to court in Pretoria to stop the sale of unregistered semaglutide products. The High Court application targets iDexis over patient safety concerns.
Novo Nordisk South Africa filed the application to prevent iDexis from manufacturing, advertising, distributing or selling weight-loss products containing semaglutide base. The company cited risks to patient safety, product quality and regulatory oversight. Compounding pharmacies in South Africa are restricted from large-scale production of unregistered medicines. A joint inspection by regulators found iDexis had produced GLP-1 medicines including tirzepatide beyond permitted limits, leading to product seizures and a recall. iDexis rejected the claims as scandalous and unsubstantiated. It asked the court to require Novo Nordisk to provide supporting evidence. Vincent Tlala, CEO of the South African Pharmacy Council, described the manufacturing as a serious violation of the law and a threat to public safety.
