Nov 8 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) said on Wednesday it would discontinue its long-acting insulin Levemir in the United States, citing manufacturing constraints, reduced patient access and available alternatives. Novo has another long-acting insulin, Tresiba, on the market. "Novo Nordisk will phase out, then permanently discontinue Levemir in the U.S. on December 31, 2024," the company said in a statement. Basal insulin such as Levemir is a type of long-acting insulin injected once or twice a day as opposed to rapid, short, or intermediate-acting insulin. Around 8.4 million of the 37 million people in the United States with diabetes use insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association.

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Persons: Novo, Eli Lilly, Tresiba, Maggie Fick, Ahmed Aboulenein, Leslie Adler Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, American Diabetes Association, Thomson Locations: United States, Danish, U.S, London