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Democratic U.S. Senate aides will meet with Novo Nordisk executives to discuss the ramifications of the company's decision to cease sales of its long-acting insulin, Levemir, in the U.S. This meeting, reported by two sources familiar with the situation, follows an April letter from Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Raphael Warnock, and Elizabeth Warren, expressing concern over the announcement made in November 2023 to permanently discontinue Levemir by the end of 2024.
In a May letter, Novo Nordisk indicated that patients were given ample time to transition to alternative treatments. The company also mentioned that it was unaware of any plans by other manufacturers to produce a biosimilar version of Levemir and would not enforce patents against such versions.
While the sources requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, it remains unclear who from Novo Nordisk will attend the meeting. A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk denied the scheduling of such a meeting, while Shaheen's office confirmed it but withheld details. Offices of Senators Warnock and Warren did not respond to requests for comment. It is common for Congressional aides and company representatives to hold such meetings.
Novo Nordisk has stated that the discontinuation of Levemir was not linked to the success of its newer medications, GLP-1 agonists widely prescribed for weight loss. The November announcement cited manufacturing constraints, reduced patient access, and the availability of alternatives such as Tresiba, another long-acting insulin by Novo Nordisk.
Novo Nordisk has acknowledged manufacturing capacity limitations during investor calls, as it increases production of GLP-1 agonists.
Alongside rival, Novo Nordisk produces all insulin sold in the U.S. Last year, these companies agreed to reduce U.S. list prices for insulin products by up to 75% in 2024 due to political pressure for more affordable diabetes treatments.
CEO Lars Jorgensen is scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in September regarding the high U.S. costs of GLP-1 agonists. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed confidence that Novo Nordisk could be persuaded to lower prices, highlighting the disparity between U.S. and international pricing.
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