Novo Nordisk to pull out insulin Tresiba from Germany

Danish pharma firm Novo Nordisk on July 1, 2015 decided to pull out its once-daily basal insulin Tresiba (insulin degludec) from Germany after its pricing negotiations with German authorities failed. “The company has decided to cease distribution of its once-daily basal insulin Tresiba in Germany following a negative outcome of price negotiations with the GKV-Spitzenverband, the German national association of statutory health insurance funds,” said Novo Nordisk in a press release.
 
In order to ensure a safe switch to another insulin treatment for the 40,000 people with diabetes currently using Tresiba, Novo Nordisk will continue supplying the product until the end of September 2015.
 
“We are very sad that it has not been possible to reach a price agreement with the insurance fund. Tresiba offers important benefits for many people with diabetes as recognised by the European health authorities (EMA), among others. The GKV-Spitzenverband decided nevertheless to set the price at the level of ordinary human insulin, a product which was launched in the 1980s. If we were to accept this price, we would undermine our ability to research and develop medical innovations for people with diabetes. That would not be in the best interest of the millions of people with diabetes for whom current treatments are insufficient to control their disease. We deeply regret the uncertainty and inconvenience this situation creates for the affected patients and physicians in Germany, and will do our utmost to support them in the process of switching patients to another insulin treatment." stated Jakob Riis, executive vice president in Novo Nordisk.