[1/2] A 0.25 mg injection pen of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy is shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, September 1, 2023. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 12 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) warned on Thursday of a surge in counterfeit versions of its weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes drug Ozempic offered online, as German authorities gave more details of complex European trades in a fake drug case. "Novo Nordisk has seen a significant increase in illegal online sales," the company said in a statement, referring to products that contain the active ingredient semaglutide. The warning came after Germany's federal drug regulator on Wednesday urged pharmacies and drug distributors to be vigilant following the discovery of wholesale batches of fake Ozempic. The FDA has warned patients to refrain from using a compounded drug if an approved drug is available.

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Persons: Victoria Klesty, Ozempic, Novo, Danish drugmaker, Eli Lilly, Lilly, Maggie Fick, Ludwig Burger, Jan Harvey, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Nordisk, Prosecutors, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, FDA, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, Victoria, Loerrach, Swiss, Basel, British, Austria, Germany, Europe, Danish, U.S, United States, Britain