After discontinuing its long-acting insulin product Levemir, Novo has again found itself under legislative scrutiny, with three Democratic senators seeking a sit-down with the pharma.
Novo Nordisk will reportedly meet with the staff of three Democratic senators over the company’s decision to discontinue its long-acting insulin Levemir, according to an exclusive report by Reuters.
Citing two sources familiar with the matter—who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject—Reuters noted that aides for Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) would meet with the Danish drugmaker. The lawmakers wrote to Novo in April to register their concern over its decision to pull Levemir from U.S. shelves.
It is not clear which representatives from Novo will meet with the senators’ staff, and the pharma in a statement to Reuters said that there was no meeting. In contrast, a spokesperson for Shaheen’s office confirmed that there was a meeting with Novo, but did not provide details.
Novo announced Levemir’s discontinuation in November 2023, citing “global manufacturing constraints, formulary losses impacting patient access, and the availability of alternative options.” The pharma said at the time that it will continue to provide the product while supplies last, but patients should expect disruptions in access.
Levemir FlexPen and vials will be available through the end of December 2024, according to Novo’s website.
In a statement to Reuters, a Novo spokesperson denied that the discontinuation of Levemir was due to the success of its semaglutide brands Ozempic and Wegovy, which are indicated for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, respectively.
In recent months, Novo has been on the receiving end of several government efforts to lower drug prices. In March 2023, for instance, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urged the Danish pharma and Sanofi to follow Eli Lilly’s example and lower insulin prices. Novo agreed a few days later, announcing that it would cut insulin product prices by up to 75%.
In April 2024, Sanders again targeted Novo, announcing that the Senate health committee had launched an investigation into what he called the “outrageously high prices” of Ozempic and Wegovy. The senator criticized Novo for setting the price tag for these treatments much higher in the U.S. than in other developed countries.
A few weeks later, in June 2024, Sanders threatened Novo President Doug Langa with a subpoena in a bid to force him to testify and explain the pricing of Ozempic and Wegovy. CEO Lars Jørgensen eventually agreed to appear before the Senate health committee.
Sanders and President Joe Biden also co-authored an opinion piece in USA Today earlier this month calling on Novo and Lilly to “stop ripping off Americans” with their GLP-1 treatments.
