Novo Nordisk and Lilly probably care less and less about insulin

[Eddy Edson]

Their investors, too. A piece worth reading:

As GLP-1 sales surge, insulin users fear Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will move on without them

As GLP-1 sales surge, insulin users fear Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will leave them in the lurch.

www.statnews.com

The chart of sales revenue expectations for insulin varieties versus GLP-1 drugs is a powerful illustration:

​

Financially, there seems to be less & less reason for either of the big guys to remain in an insulin market or category if governments and health systems pressure them on pricing, particular if there is resource competition between the insulin and GLP-1 drugs (eg, pens).

There's clearly a growing risk that the needs of insulin users will fall into a market failure gap. Hopefully governments will do something competent to address this.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Yikes! Future’s not looking too rosy for me then 😱

It’s a duff hand being entirely reliant on last century's cash cow wonder drug for survival.

 

[Amity Island]

Yikes! Future’s not looking too rosy for me then 😱

It’s a duff hand being entirely reliant on last century's cash cow wonder drug for survival.

Mike,

Years back, I had this idea of making my own (manufacturing) insulin. I tried to look into but didn't get far.

Have you ever looked into this, is it a realistic proposition?

 

[rebrascora]

I have a suspicion that the GLP-1 cash cow will have it's day and diminish and I think most companies spread their investment/production to protect against market fluctuation. Of course it is worrying, especially seeing a graph like that which demonstrates such a stark disparity.

 

[Inka]

Mike,

Years back, I had this idea of making my own (manufacturing) insulin. I tried to look into but didn't get far.

Have you ever looked into this, is it a realistic proposition?

Someone did in WW2, I think. I remember reading their story. I’ll see if I can dredge up their name. I can’t remember any details really.

 

[Inka]

Ooh, go my memory! I just remembered her name. Here:

WWII Hero Saves T1D Lives with Home-brew Insulin

Without access to dogs, calves or cows, Eva knit stockings and sold them to buy water buffalo pancreata. Then, in a laboratory in China, she got to work.

beyondtype1.org

 

[trophywench]

I know I've read the tale of Eva in the past, but OMG - did NOT know that Novo had stopped making Levemir! @rebrascora - did you? - though only a couple of weeks ago I ordered a completely new supply of insulin since clearly what I was using was up the Swanee, and that included one disposable pen of Levemir. (I am allowed one pen of Novorapid and one of Lev for emergencies, but have only ever needed to use the N pens occasionally, so they just get binned when the date's up)

 

[Inka]

I think it’s just the US that Levemir is no longer available @trophywench

 

[Eddy Edson]

Ooh, go my memory! I just remembered her name. Here:

WWII Hero Saves T1D Lives with Home-brew Insulin

Without access to dogs, calves or cows, Eva knit stockings and sold them to buy water buffalo pancreata. Then, in a laboratory in China, she got to work.

beyondtype1.org

Great story!

 

[rebrascora]

It is not that they have stopped making it, but just stopped supplying it in the US although I believe there is some backlash particularly because it is the only basal recommended during pregnancy I believe. I am not denying that it is worrying as the US is a big market for insulin and as you know I absolutely love Levemir and will be distraught if it is discontinued, but so far that is not the case here in the UK and hopefully there are enough Levemir users worldwide for them to continue.

 

[trophywench]

Thank Gawd for that, not living in the US !! (apart from the spectre of the orange man hanging over the world, bullet vending machines in supermarkets etc)

 

[Amity Island]

Ooh, go my memory! I just remembered her name. Here:

WWII Hero Saves T1D Lives with Home-brew Insulin

Without access to dogs, calves or cows, Eva knit stockings and sold them to buy water buffalo pancreata. Then, in a laboratory in China, she got to work.

beyondtype1.org

Hi Inka,

A more recent version in US where insulin costs have gone out of the reach of many.

They've reversed engineered some manufactured insulin and released the method.

The Biohackers Making Insulin 98% Cheaper

These biohackers plan to give away their instructions for how to make insulin for free.

www.freethink.com

 

[Inka]

The profiteering in the US is shocking @Amity Island Insulin is so expensive there. How sad that things have changed so much. The patents were originally sold for $1:

On 23 January 1923, Banting, Collip and Best were awarded U.S. patents on insulin and the method used to make it. They all sold these patents to the University of Toronto for $1 each. Banting famously said, “Insulin does not belong to me, it belongs to the world.”

100 years of insulin

Who discovered insulin?

www.diabetes.org.uk