Senate panel questions Novo Nordisk CEO over decision to discontinue this popular insulin

The top of executive of Novo Nordisk told a Senate panel Tuesday it was a "difficult choice" to discontinue the long-acting insulin Levemir but he had to do so because of market forces.

The Danish drugmaker previously announced it would stop sales of Levemir vials by the end of December. Novo Nordisk's decision has been criticized by some patients with Type 1 diabetes who prefer Levemir over other long-acting "basal" insulins such as Sanofi's Lantus and Novo Nordisk's Tresiba.

During a Senate panel hearing Tuesday, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen blamed insurance coverage barriers and limited manufacturing capacity.

After the drugmaker slashed the list price of Levemir by 65% last year, pharmacy managers restricted access to the medication. As a result, insurance coverage of the insulin dropped sharply. Before the price cut, Jørgensen said 90% of insurance plans covered the insulin. After the price cut, just 35% of insurers covered the drug.

With fewer insurers paying for the medication, Novo Nordisk prioritized manufacturing other insulins used by the company's 30 million global customers with Type 1 diabetes.

"It was a difficult choice we had to make to make sure that we could sustainably supply enough insulin for all people with Type 1 diabetes," Jørgensen told senators. "But I do acknowledge that it comes with some stress for individual patients unfortunately."

Long-acting insulins lengthen the time between injections and allow patients to maintain baseline blood glucose levels. More than 7 million U.S. patients use insulin products. All patients with Type 1 diabetes and some with Type 2 diabetes rely on insulin to survive.

Sen, Maggie Hassan, D- New Hampshire, said Levemir is a critical insulin and questioned the company's decision to halt sales. In doing so, Novo Nordisk "interrupted the diabetes care plans of millions of Americans," Hassan said.

The New Hampshire Democrat asked whether Novo Nordisk would be wiling to share the drug's formulation with other manufacturers who might be interested in making the life-saving medication for consumes.

.Jørgensen said Novo Nordisk hasn't found any other company willing to make the drug.

"If there is a company interested in manufacturing it, or the government wants to manufacture it, we'll be happy to collaborate," Jørgensen said. "The reality is that the market is disappearing for Levemir," due to diminished insurance coverage.

Hassan urged Jørgensen to continue to search for potential manufacturing partners. She wants the company to share details of any efforts to try to find a manufacturing partner before product sales halt at the end of this year.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the Levemir discontinuation is a "real blow" to families who depend on the insulin.

In April, three Democrat senators blasted Novo Nordisk's decision to halt Levemir in the United States. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the company's decision to discontinue Levemir "failed to take into consideration patient access to affordable, long-acting insulin substitutes."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Novo Nordisk CEO explains Levemir discontinuation