FDA, Novo Nordisk issue statement on stolen insulin

ROCKVILLE, Md. Three lots of a brand of insulin stolen in North Carolina have resurfaced and are being sold in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration and Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk announced Saturday.

The FDA and Novo Nordisk issued a joint statement after vials of Levemir (insulin detemir [rDNA origin]) reported as stolen in North Carolina turned up in Houston. The vials may not have been stored properly because they did not circulate through Novo Nordisk’s normal distribution channel and may be dangerous for patients to use, Novo Nordisk said. The FDA said one patient already had reported adverse effects after using one of the vials.

The vials are from lots XZF0036, XZF0037 and XZF0038. The agency is warning patients not to use Levemir that comes from any of those lots.