---
title: "South African watchdog probes Novo Nordisk and Sanofi over insulin"
description: "South Africa's competition watchdog probes Novo Nordisk and Sanofi for potential anti-competitive practices in the insulin pen market"
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "INSULIN PEN PROBE"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-05-south-african-watchdog-probes-novo-nordisk-and-sanofi-over-insulin/"
published: "2025-03-05T04:00:19"
updated: "2025-03-04T19:35:41"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 187
---

# South African watchdog probes Novo Nordisk and Sanofi over insulin

> South Africa's competition watchdog probes Novo Nordisk and Sanofi for potential anti-competitive practices in the insulin pen market

By Reuters · Published 5 March 2025, 06:00 SAST · Updated 4 March 2025, 21:35 SAST

## Key points
- In a plot twist worthy of a medical drama, South Africa’s competition watchdog is probing insulin giants Novo Nordisk and Sanofi for allegedly playing dirty in the human insulin pen arena, while Novo Nordisk insists it’s just trying to keep the public stocked with vials instead.
- South Africa's Competition Commission is probing Novo Nordisk and Sanofi for potential anti-competitive practices in the insulin pen market.
- The investigation involves engagement with market participants, though details remain undisclosed.
- Novo Nordisk has opted out of the 2024 tender for insulin pens, focusing instead on insulin vials to ensure public sector access.
- The company is transitioning away from human insulin pens to prioritize production of its obesity and diabetes treatments.

## Content

South Africa's competition watchdog is investigating drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Sanofi over possible anti-competitive practices in the human insulin pen market, the authority said on Tuesday.

"We are currently engaging with market participants," a spokesperson for South Africa's Competition Commission told Reuters, declining to provide details.

The news was reported earlier on Tuesday by Bloomberg.

Novo Nordisk and Sanofi are two of the world's largest makers of insulin.

While Sanofi did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Novo Nordisk told Reuters in a statement it welcomed the opportunity to provide information and would cooperate fully with authorities.

The company decided not to participate in the 2024 tender for human insulin pens in South Africa and instead tendered for insulin vials, it said.

"We ensured that the public sector had adequate access to insulin through this route," it added.

In November last year, Novo Nordisk [told](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novo-nordisk-says-it-is-gradually-phasing-out-human-insulin-pens-globally-2024-11-14/) Reuters that it was phasing out production of human insulin pens, as it spends billions to increase manufacturing of its popular obesity and diabetes injections.

Reporting by Maggie Fick in London and Nqobile Dludla in Johannesburg; editing by Barbara Lewis