{{Short description|Long-acting man-made insulin}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc|display-authors=6}} {{Drugbox | Verifiedfields = changed | Watchedfields = changed | verifiedrevid = 464363066
<!-- Clinical data -->| tradename = Levemir | Drugs.com = {{drugs.com|monograph|insulin_detemir}} | MedlinePlus = a606012 | DailyMedID = Insulin detemir | pregnancy_AU = A | pregnancy_AU_comment = | pregnancy_category = | routes_of_administration = Subcutaneous | ATC_prefix = A10 | ATC_suffix = AE05
<!-- Legal status -->| legal_AU = S4 | legal_AU_comment = | legal_BR = <!-- OTC, A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, D1, D2, E, F--> | legal_BR_comment = | legal_CA = <!-- OTC, Rx-only, Schedule I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII --> | legal_CA_comment = | legal_DE = <!-- Anlage I, II, III or Unscheduled--> | legal_DE_comment = | legal_NZ = <!-- Class A, B, C --> | legal_NZ_comment = | legal_UK = POM | legal_UK_comment = <ref>{{cite web | title=Levemir FlexPen 100 units/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) | website=(emc) | date=21 May 2018 | url=https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5536/smpc | access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Levemir InnoLet 100 units/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) | website=(emc) | date=21 May 2018 | url=https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/7890/smpc | access-date=14 April 2020 | archive-date=8 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108100118/https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/7890/smpc | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Levemir Penfill 100 units/ml solution for injection in cartridge - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) | website=(emc) | date=21 May 2018 | url=https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/7889/smpc | access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> | legal_US = Rx-only | legal_US_comment = <ref name="Levemir FDA label">{{cite web | title=Levemir- insulin detemir injection, solution | website=DailyMed | date=24 March 2020 | url=https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d38d65c1-25bf-401d-9c7e-a2c3222da8af | access-date=19 October 2020}}</ref> | legal_EU = Rx-only | legal_EU_comment = <ref name="Levemir EPAR" /> | legal_UN = <!-- N I, II, III, IV / P I, II, III, IV--> | legal_UN_comment = | legal_status = Rx-only
<!-- Pharmacokinetic data -->| bioavailability = 60% (subcutaneous) | protein_bound = | metabolism = | elimination_half-life = 5–7 hours | duration_of_action = ≤ 24 hours | excretion = <!-- Identifiers --> | ChemSpiderID_Ref = {{chemspidercite|changed|chemspider}} | ChemSpiderID = none | CAS_number_Ref = {{cascite|changed|??}} | CAS_number = 169148-63-4 | PubChem = | DrugBank_Ref = {{drugbankcite|correct|drugbank}} | DrugBank = DB01307 | UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|changed|FDA}} | UNII = 4FT78T86XV | KEGG_Ref = {{keggcite|correct|kegg}} | KEGG = D04539
<!-- Chemical data -->| C = 267 | H = 402 | N = 64 | O = 76 | S = 6 }}
<!-- Definition and medical uses --> '''Insulin detemir''', sold under the brand name '''Levemir''' among others{{cn|date=January 2026}}, is a long-acting modified form of medical insulin used to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.<ref name=AHFS2019/> It is used by injection under the skin.<ref name=AHFS2019/> It is effective for up to 24 hours.<ref name=AHFS2019/>
<!-- Side effects and mechanisms --> Common side effects include low blood sugar, allergic reactions, pain at the site of injection, and weight gain.<ref name=AHFS2019/> Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding appears safe.<ref name=Preg2019>{{cite web | title=Insulin detemir (Levemir) Use During Pregnancy | website=Drugs.com | date=12 June 2019 | url=https://www.drugs.com/pregnancy/insulin-detemir.html | access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> It works by increasing the amount of glucose that tissues take in and decreasing the amount of glucose made by the liver.<ref name=AHFS2019>{{cite web |title=Insulin Detemir Monograph for Professionals |url=https://www.drugs.com/monograph/insulin-detemir.html |website=Drugs.com |publisher=American Society of Health-System Pharmacists |access-date=3 March 2019 }}</ref>
<!-- Society and culture --> Insulin detemir was approved for medical use in the European Union in June 2004, and in the United States in June 2005.<ref name="Levemir EPAR">{{cite web | title=Levemir EPAR | website=European Medicines Agency (EMA) | date=6 August 2009 | url=https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/levemir | access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=AHFS2019/><ref>{{cite web | title=Drug Approval Package: Levemir Insulin Detemir[rDNA origin] Injection; NDA #021536 | website=U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | date=26 July 2005 | url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2005/021-536_LevemirTOC.cfm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404224425/http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2005/021-536_LevemirTOC.cfm | archive-date=4 April 2015 | access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.<ref name="WHO23rd">{{cite book | title = The selection and use of essential medicines 2023: web annex A: World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 23rd list (2023) | year = 2023 | hdl = 10665/371090 | publisher = World Health Organization | location = Geneva | id = WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2023.02 | hdl-access=free }}</ref> In 2023, it was the 153rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3{{nbsp}}million prescriptions.<ref name="Top 300">{{cite web | title=Top 300 of 2023 | url=https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Top300Drugs.aspx | website=ClinCalc | access-date=12 August 2025 | archive-date=12 August 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812130026/https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Top300Drugs.aspx | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Insulin Detemir Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2014 - 2023 | website = ClinCalc | url = https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Drugs/InsulinDetemir | access-date = 19 August 2025 }}</ref>Novo Nordisk is discontinuing production of insulin detemir, with supplies in the UK expected to run out in December 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-11-09 |title=Novo to Discontinue Long-Acting Insulin Injection Levemir by the End of 2024 |url=https://www.biospace.com/novo-to-discontinue-long-acting-insulin-injection-levemir-by-the-end-of-2024 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=BioSpace |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Novo Nordisk to withdraw Levemir insulin – here's what you need to know |url=https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/novo-nordisk-to-withdraw-levemir-what-you-need-to-know |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=Diabetes UK |language=en}}</ref>
==Medical use== It is used to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.<ref name=AHFS2019/> A recent Cochrane systematic review<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hemmingsen B, Metzendorf MI, Richter B | title = (Ultra-)long-acting insulin analogues for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 3 | issue = 3 | article-number = CD013498 | date = March 2021 | pmid = 33662147 | pmc = 094220 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.cd013498.pub2 }}</ref> also compared the effects of insulin detemir to NPH insulin and other insulin analogues (insulin glargine, insulin degludec) in both children and adults with Type 1 diabetes. With respect to blood sugar management, it appears to work better than NPH insulin, however this finding was inconsistent across included and previous studies.<ref name="AHFS2019" /><ref name=":0" /> In the same systematic review no other clinically significant differences were found between different insulin analogues in either adults nor children.<ref name=":0" />
==Side effects== Common side effects include low blood sugar, allergic reactions, pain at the site of injection, and weight gain.<ref name=AHFS2019/> Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding appears safe.<ref name=Preg2019/>
==Chemistry== It is an insulin analogue in which a fatty acid (myristic acid) is bound to the lysine amino acid at position B29. It is quickly absorbed after which it binds to albumin in the blood through its fatty acid at position B29. It then slowly dissociates from this complex.<ref name="pmid25270715">{{cite journal | vauthors = Baeshen NA, Baeshen MN, Sheikh A, Bora RS, Ahmed MM, Ramadan HA, Saini KS, Redwan EM | title = Cell factories for insulin production | journal = Microbial Cell Factories | volume = 13 | page = 141 | date = October 2014 | pmid = 25270715 | pmc = 4203937 | doi = 10.1186/s12934-014-0141-0 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
==Society and culture== In June 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory for insulin determir after learning that 129,000 stolen vials reappeared and were being sold in the U.S. market. The FDA warned that the stolen vials "may not have been stored and handled properly and may be dangerous for patients to use." The stolen vials were identified as lots XZF0036, XZF0037, and XZF0038.<ref>{{cite web |title=FDA Issues Public HeaLevemir has been discontinued lth Advisory Regarding Levemir Insulin |website=Food and Drug Administration |url=https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm166358.htm |date=13 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617072719/https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm166358.htm |archive-date=17 June 2009 |access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Oral hypoglycemics and insulin analogs}} {{Portal bar | Medicine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Insulin Detemir}} Category:Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate Category:Insulin analogues