10:58 AM EDT, 08/14/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) sent several cease-and-desist letters to US healthcare providers in recent days urging them to stop selling copycat weight-loss drugs as supplies of the drugmaker's Mounjaro and Zepbound improve, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

The letters went to telehealth companies, wellness centers, and medical spas, Bloomberg reported, citing a company spokesperson. They also went to several brick-and-mortar clinics, Bloomberg reported, citing interviews and records it reviewed.

The US Food and Drug Administration allows the production of copycat versions of drugs when name brands are in short supply, but Lilly Chief Executive David Ricks said earlier in August that a Zepbound shortage should be over "very soon."

Neither Eli Lilly ( LLY ) nor the FDA immediately responded to requests for comment from MT Newswires.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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