Insulin manufacturers are continuing efforts to provide more cost-savings options to patients with diabetes.

Today, Eli Lilly announced new plans that include 50% lower list prices for certain insulin products that will be available by mid-April

according to a company press release. This will include lower-priced versions of insulin lispro protamine and insulin lispro injectable suspension 100 units/mL (Humalog Mix 75/25 KwikPen) and insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL (Humalog Junior KwikPen).

Lilly initially introduced its first lower-priced insulin, insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL, in May 2019 at a 50% lower list price than the branded version.

Combined, these 3 insulin products comprise of more than 90% of prescriptions written for a mealtime insulin manufactured by Lilly, according to the release. Insulin lispro injectable suspension 100 units/mL, in particular, is one of Lilly’s most prescribed insulin, with approximately 600,000 prescriptions filled in the last 12 months, Lilly said. 

The announcements comes after Novo Nordisk also recently introduced its new insulin cost-savings options for patients experiencing difficulties affording their medications. These plans include short-term free, immediate supply for patients in urgent need with a prescription and a $99 purchase program. Novo Nordisk also offers authorized generic versions of their NovoLog and Novolog Mix.

According to Lilly, the lower-priced version of Humalog Mix75/25 will be known as Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 KwikPen (100 units/mL). The lower-priced version of insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL will be known as Insulin Lispro Injection Junior KwikPen (100 units/mL). Both prices will have a list price of $265.20 for a package of 5 KwikPens.

“The cost of insulin at the pharmacy varies dramatically depending on a person’s insurance coverage,” Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes, said in a statement. “These lower-priced insulins may reduce out-of-pocket costs, especially for people in the coverage of Medicare Part D, the uninsured or those with high-deductible insurance plans.”

The Kwikpen contains 3 ml of U-100 insulin so the “5-pak” will be equivalent of 1.5 vials of insulin  and resulting an equivalent cost of $176.8/ 10 ml vial.

 When this was initially announced a few months back… Lilly stated that NO REBATE/DISCOUNT/KICKBACK to PBM would be made and many/most/all PBM’s responded that this generic insulin would be a “non covered item”…  Discounts/Rebates/Kickbacks to the PBM have been reported to be upwards of 75% of the wholesale price of a particular med.

These price reductions by Lilly and Novo Nordisk suggests that they were being forced to “share” around 50% of their insulin revenue to various PBM’s in order to keep their insulin products on the PBM’s approved formulary.

If I was a diabetic and the pharmacy was told that a Rx for these products were “non-covered”.. I would investigate how the pt could submit a claim for reimbursement, they just might reimburse for the medication. If the pt is not reimbursed, it might be advisable to contact the pt’s members of Congress. It would seem unlikely that Lilly’s generic insulin is INFERIOR to Lilly’s brand name insulin.