Novo Nordisk Secures Interim Injunction Against iDexis Over Semaglutide Products

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted an interim interdict at Novo Nordisk's request, ordering the South African pharmacy group iDexis to stop compounding, supplying and marketing weight‑loss medicines that contain semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo's Ozempic and Wegovy. Novo argued that iDexis was distributing unregistered, chemically‑synthesised copies without approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, creating a public‑health risk. The judge rejected iDexis's claim that the Medicines Act permits compounding because the active ingredient is similar to a registered product, noting deficiencies in quality and safety uncovered by regulators. The court ordered the halt to continue until SAHPRA and the Pharmacy Council finish their investigations. The injunction is part of Novo's broader global strategy to curb a grey‑market surge in semaglutide products, which has seen iDexis produce roughly 84,500 units per month – more than the combined official sales of Ozempic and Wegovy in South Africa.