French multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi filed a U.S. lawsuit alleging Denmark-based Novo Nordisk promoted its competing insulin drug by incorrectly saying Sanofi insulin drugs would not be available for many U.S. patients, reports Reuters.
On Dec. 23, Sanofi filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint calls for Novo Nordisk to pay an undisclosed amount in money damages and remove marketing materials for its insulin drug Tresiba.
Sanofi alleges the marketing materials encourage physicians and patients to switch from Lantus and Toujeo – Sanofi's insulin drugs – to Tresiba because the former drugs will be "blocked" by CVS Caremark in January.
However, Sanofi said CVS is replacing its insulin drugs on the pharmacy's standard list of drugs most insurers cover with a similar, cheaper version made by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly. Sanofi said many insurers will likely still pay for its insulin drugs, although patients may have to pay more for them.