Bagsværd, Denmark, August 5, 2026
Novo Nordisk has secured a significant legal victory after the District Court of The Hague granted a preliminary injunction against Ceban Ziekenhuisfarmacie B.V. in a patent infringement case involving an unapproved compounded semaglutide nasal spray. The court ruled that Ceban infringed Novo Nordisk’s Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) covering semaglutide and ordered the company to immediately cease manufacturing and selling the compounded nasal spray, remove product listings, disclose supply chain information, and reimburse Novo Nordisk’s legal costs. The ruling reinforces the importance of patient safety, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property protection, while emphasizing that no semaglutide nasal spray formulation has been approved by any regulatory authority. Novo Nordisk stated that the decision supports ongoing efforts to ensure patients receive medicines that meet recognized standards for quality, safety, and efficacy while protecting innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
Dutch Court Protects Semaglutide Intellectual Property
The court determined that Ceban Ziekenhuisfarmacie B.V. infringed Novo Nordisk’s SPC protecting semaglutide, resulting in immediate legal remedies designed to halt further infringement. In addition to prohibiting the sale of the compounded nasal spray, the ruling requires removal of product references from websites and commercial listings, disclosure of distribution information, and reimbursement of Novo Nordisk’s legal expenses. Company representatives emphasized that protecting intellectual property is essential for sustaining long-term pharmaceutical innovation and ensuring continued investment in research and development. Novo Nordisk noted that it will continue pursuing legal action against organizations marketing unapproved semaglutide products that may compromise patient safety or undermine established regulatory standards. The decision represents another important milestone in safeguarding proprietary innovations supporting the company’s expanding GLP-1 medicine portfolio.
Patient Safety Remains Central to Regulatory Compliance
Novo Nordisk highlighted that compounded medicines are pharmacy-prepared formulations that are not reviewed or approved by regulatory agencies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unlike approved medicines, compounded formulations generally have not undergone the extensive clinical studies necessary to demonstrate consistent quality, safety, efficacy, and manufacturing standards. The company reiterated that it neither manufactures nor endorses compounded semaglutide products and confirmed that no nasal spray formulation of semaglutide has received regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Patients seeking semaglutide treatment are encouraged to consult qualified healthcare professionals and use only medicines approved by their national regulatory authorities. Novo Nordisk stated that maintaining strong regulatory oversight remains critical to protecting patients from unapproved therapies that may present unknown risks.
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Decision Reinforces Innovation Across Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 Portfolio
The judgment further strengthens Novo Nordisk’s efforts to protect its portfolio of approved semaglutide medicines, including Wegovy®, Ozempic®, and Rybelsus®, which are indicated for obesity management and type 2 diabetes in approved markets. Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist discovered and developed by Novo Nordisk, has become one of the company’s most important therapeutic innovations. By defending its intellectual property rights, Novo Nordisk aims to preserve incentives for continued scientific research while supporting future development of innovative therapies for chronic diseases. The court’s decision also sends a strong message regarding the importance of respecting pharmaceutical patents and maintaining robust regulatory frameworks that ensure patients receive medicines manufactured according to internationally recognized standards. The ruling underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to protecting both patient health and the innovations that drive advances in diabetes and obesity treatment.
Source: Novo Nordisk press release
