Eli Lilly suit against Houston’s Empower Pharmacy is a battle over access to a multi-billion dollar market for weight loss drugs tirzepatide and semaglutide.

Eli Lilly ( LLY 0.89%) has been growing its sales at a good clip over the past year. This is partly thanks to Zepbound, a weight loss medicine that's already generating more than $1 billion in quarterly sales, although it was approved only in late 2023.

Eli Lilly is suing four telemedicine companies selling compounded versions of its blockbuster obesity drug Zepbound and its diabetes treatment Mounjaro, escalating its battle against unauthorized