At least 26 patients have filed lawsuits in Marion County against Eli Lilly and Co. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — At least 26 patients have filed lawsuits in Marion County against Eli Lilly and Co., alleging the pharmaceutical giant failed to adequately warn consumers about severe side effects linked to its GLP-1 medications Trulicity and Mounjaro.

The suits, filed in Marion Superior Court over the past two weeks, claim the Indianapolis-based company downplayed or omitted critical information regarding the risks associated with the diabetes and weight-loss drugs. Seventeen of the lawsuits also name Novo Nordisk Inc. as a co-defendant, making similar allegations about its GLP-1 drug Ozempic.

According to court documents, the patients allege the drugs caused serious gastrointestinal complications, including gastroparesis, persistent vomiting and dehydration, severe diarrhea and constipation, and, in some cases, multiple hospitalizations. While both drugmakers have acknowledged the potential for gastrointestinal side effects, the lawsuits argue that the companies understated the severity, duration, and scope of those effects and failed to disclose other potential risks.

Both companies defended the safety of their products and noted that all warnings are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lilly stated its ongoing commitment to monitoring and reporting safety concerns, while Novo Nordisk stated confidence in the benefit-risk profile of its medications and indicated plans to contest the allegations.

All plaintiffs in the Marion County cases are represented by CohenMalad LLP attorneys Edward Mulligan and Jonathon Knoll. The law firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The new filings add to a growing number of lawsuits brought against Lilly and Novo Nordisk in federal court. Those cases have been consolidated as multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Novo Nordisk is headquartered in Denmark, with its U.S. offices based in Plainsboro, N.J.

GLP-1 medications, which mimic the function of a gut hormone to regulate insulin and glucagon levels, have become widely prescribed for managing type 2 diabetes, reducing cardiac risk, and aiding in chronic weight management. The medications have surged in popularity, helping drive major revenue gains for both companies.

Lilly reported $3.84 billion in revenue from Mounjaro alone in the first quarter of 2025, contributing to total quarterly revenue of $12.73 billion. Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic has also become one of its top-selling products.

The lawsuits argue that aggressive marketing campaigns by both companies shaped public perception of GLP-1 drugs as near-miraculous weight loss solutions, without adequately communicating the potential dangers. Plaintiffs claim they would have avoided the medications had they been given more comprehensive warnings and are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.