A proposed class action claim against drugmakers Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Sanofi-Aventis alleging an unfair and unconscionable pricing scheme for analog insulin products has been denied class certification and a judge partially granted the defense’s motion to exclude expert testimony.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on behalf of analog insulin consumers who paid any portion of the purchase price for a list of prescription insulin drugs against the defendant drug manufacturers who make and sell those products. The complaint alleged that the defendants engaged in a scheme by artificially inflating the list prices for the drugs so they could offer “secret rebates” to certain pharmacy benefit managers in exchange for preferred formulary placement, according to the opinion filed Feb. 5.