March 11, 2019 PR-M03-19-NI-028
INDIANAPOLIS /PRNewswire/ -- Reinforcing our commitment to lower out-of-pocket costs for people who need insulin, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced we will introduce a lower-priced version of Humalog® (insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL) in the United States -- providing people with diabetes an insulin option that will have a list price 50 percent lower than the current Humalog list price.
"We've engaged in discussions about the price of insulin with many different stakeholders in America's health care system: people living with diabetes, caregivers, advocacy groups, health care professionals, payers, wholesalers, lawmakers, and leading health care scholars," said David A. Ricks, Lilly's chairman and chief executive officer. "Solutions that lower the cost of insulin at the pharmacy have been introduced in recent months, but more people need help. We're eager to bring forward a low-priced rapid-acting insulin.
"The significant rebates we pay on insulins do not directly benefit all patients. This needs to change," Ricks said. "There are numerous ideas, including the rebate reform proposal from HHS. For people with diabetes, a lower-priced insulin can serve as a bridge that addresses gaps in the system until a more sustainable model is achieved."
The lower-priced version will be called Insulin Lispro—the same molecule as Humalog—and will be available in vial and pen options. The list price of a single vial will be $137.35. The list price of a five-pack of KwikPens will be $265.20. Vials and pens of the lower-priced insulin have been manufactured, and Lilly will now work with supply chain partners to make them available in pharmacies as quickly as possible. It will be made available as an authorized generic through a Lilly subsidiary, ImClone Systems. Humalog will also remain available for people who want to continue accessing it through their current insurance plans. Introducing an alternative insulin option allows Lilly to provide a lower-priced insulin more quickly while providing payers time to renegotiate downstream contracts and adjust to new system economics.
"While this change is a step in the right direction, all of us in the health care community must do more to fix the problem of high out-of-pocket costs for Americans living with chronic conditions," Ricks said. "We hope our announcement is a catalyst for positive change across the U.S. health care system."
Lilly's Insulin Lispro is one of many initiatives the company has introduced to deliver lower out-of-pocket options to people living with diabetes. After exploring the logistics and feasibility of an authorized generic, Lilly began preparing manufacturing, labeling, and shipping plans last year for the possibility of Lilly's Insulin Lispro. People should call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234 to learn whether Lilly's Insulin Lispro, or another option, is the best financial choice for them.
The list price of Lilly's current Humalog presentations last increased in May of 2017.
Lilly Diabetes Solution Center, Other Actions Help Offset Costs
In addition to the introduction of Lilly's Insulin Lispro, we have taken several other steps to lower what people pay for insulin.
The cost of insulin can vary dramatically depending on a person's insurance coverage. The vast majority of patients have flat co-pays and face lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin, so the price they pay at the pharmacy will not change. For people with high-deductible insurance plans, the uninsured, or people in the coverage gap of Medicare Part D, Lilly's Insulin Lispro is another option that can make insulin more affordable.
Indication for Humalog® (insulin lispro) and Insulin Lispro
Humalog and Insulin Lispro are man-made fast-acting insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.
Important Safety Information for Humalog® (insulin lispro) and Important Safety Information for Insulin Lispro
What is the most important information I should know about Humalog and Insulin Lispro?
Who should not take Humalog or Insulin Lispro?
Before using Humalog or Insulin Lispro, what should I tell my healthcare providers?
How should I use Humalog or Insulin Lispro?
What are the possible side effects of Humalog or Insulin Lispro?
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Humalog and Insulin Lispro are available by prescription only.
For additional information, talk to your healthcare providers and please click to access Humalog Full Prescribing Information and Patient Prescribing Information.
For additional information, talk to your healthcare providers and click to access Insulin Lispro Full Prescribing Information and Patient Prescribing Information.
Please see Instructions for Use included with Humalog and Insulin Lispro products.
HI IL CON ISI 04MAR2019
About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio, and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes and on Facebook: LillyDiabetesUS.
This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Insulin Lispro and reflects Lilly's current beliefs. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are risks and uncertainties related to the commercialization and regulation of Insulin Lispro and authorized generics. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that future clinical study results or individual patient experiences will be consistent with results to date. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.
Humalog® is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.
PP-SP-US-0013 03/2019 ©Lilly USA, LLC 2019. All rights reserved.
Refer to: |
Kelley Murphy; murphy_kelley@lilly.com; 317-277-4607 |
Greg Kueterman; kueterman_gregory_andrew@lilly.com; 317-432-5195 |
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Kevin Hern; hern_kevin_r@lilly.com; 317-277-1838 |
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