New Sanofi insulin savings program aims to lower out-of-pocket costs for people living with diabetes

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., April 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi's new Insulins VALyou Savings Program will seek to help lower out-of-pocket costs for people living with diabetes who otherwise would pay full retail price for Lantus or Admelog. This includes certain uninsured patients who don't qualify for traditional patient assistance programs, in addition to some commercially insured patients with a high deductible that has not been reached on their plan.

Under this new program, the total out-of-pocket cost a person will pay for Lantus or Admelog will be $99 for a 10 mL vial or $149 for a box of five 3 mL pens and is available at all U.S pharmacies. For some people, the program could offer significant savings compared to the out-of-pocket cost of other long-acting or fast-acting insulins.  

"We understand that many people living with diabetes struggle to afford critically needed medications, especially those facing high out-of-pocket costs when paying for their insulin," said Michelle Carnahan, North America Diabetes and Cardiovascular Head, Sanofi. "This program helps support those we can today, while we continue to innovate to help even more people tomorrow. It is our goal to do our part to find ways that help people living with diabetes gain access to insulins they need to help manage their disease, at a clear and consistent price, regardless of their pharmacy choice."

In addition to this program, Sanofi will continue offering the existing Lantus co-pay card for eligible patients.  Sanofi also offers assistance programs that provide medications at no charge for qualified low-income, uninsured patients through the patient assistance component of the Sanofi Patient Connection program. Visit www.sanofipatientconnection.com for more information.

Admelog is now available by prescription in both vials and the SoloStar pen in U.S. pharmacies. Admelog was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2017 as the first follow-on mealtime insulin. Admelog currently has the lowest list price (also known as the Wholesale Acquisition Cost) of any mealtime insulin at $90 per 3 mL pen and at $233 per 10 mL vial.

What is Lantus (insulin glargine injection) 100 Units/mL?

Prescription Lantus is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and adults and pediatric patients (children 6 years and older) with type 1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar.

• Do not use Lantus to treat diabetic ketoacidosis.

Important Safety Information for Lantus (insulin glargine injection) 100 Units/mL

Do not take Lantus during episodes of low blood sugar or if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in Lantus.

Do not share needles, insulin pens, or syringes with others.  Do NOT reuse needles.

Before starting Lantus^®, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have liver or kidney problems, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or if you are breastfeeding or planning to breast-feed.

Heart failure can occur if you are taking insulin together with certain medicines called TZDs (thiazolidinediones), even if you have never had heart failure or other heart problems. If you already have heart failure, it may get worse while you take TZDs with Lantus^®. Your treatment with TZDs and Lantus^® may need to be changed or stopped by your doctor if you have new or worsening heart failure. Tell your doctor if you have any new or worsening symptoms of heart failure, including:

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of your ankles or feet
• Sudden weight gain

Tell your doctor about all the medications you take, including OTC medicines, vitamins, and supplements, including herbal supplements.

Lantus should be taken once a day at the same time every day.  Test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Lantus. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision.

Do NOT dilute or mix Lantus with any other insulin or solution. It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be serious. Lantus must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Always make sure you have the correct insulin before each injection. 

While using Lantus^®, do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lantus® affects you. You should not drink alcohol or use other medicines that contain alcohol.

The most common side effect of insulin, including Lantus, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Symptoms of serious low blood sugar may include shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision.

Lantus may cause serious side effects that can lead to death, such as severe allergic reactions. Get medical help right away if you have:

• A rash over your whole body
• Trouble breathing
• A fast heartbeat
• Sweating
• Swelling of your face, tongue, or throat
• Shortness of breath
• Extreme drowsiness, dizziness, or confusion

Other possible side effects may include swelling, weight gain, low potassium levels, injection site reactions, including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions.

Lantus SoloSTAR is a disposable prefilled insulin pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

What is Admelog (insulin lispro injection)?

Prescription Admelog is a fast-acting human insulin used to improve blood sugar control in adults with Type 2 diabetes and adults and children (3 years and older) with Type 1 diabetes. 

Important Safety Information for Admelog (insulin lispro injection)

Do not use Admelog if you have low blood sugar or if you are allergic to insulin lispro or any of the other ingredients in Admelog.

Do not share needles, insulin pens, or syringes with others, even if the needle is changed.  Do NOT reuse needles. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them.

Before starting Admelog, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have liver or kidney problems, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

Heart failure can occur if you are taking insulin together with pills called TZDs (thiazolidinediones), even if you have never had heart failure or other heart problems.  If you have heart failure, it may get worse while you take TZDs with Admelog.  Your treatment with TZDs and Admelog may need to be changed or stopped by your doctor if you have new or worsening heart failure.  Tell your doctor if you have any new or worsening symptoms, including:

• Shortness of breath
• Sudden weight gain
• Swelling of your ankles or feet

Tell your doctor about all the medications you take, including OTC medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal supplements.

When used as a mealtime insulin, Admelog should be taken within 15 minutes before a meal or immediately after a meal.  Test your blood sugar levels as directed by your doctor when using Admelog.  Do not change your dose or type of insulin without talking to your doctor.  Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. 

Check your insulin label to verify that you have the correct insulin before each injection.  Admelog must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible.

While using Admelog, do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Admelog affects you.  Do not drink alcohol or use medicines that contain alcohol.

Admelog may cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including:

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, sweating, confusion, headache, blurred vision, slurred speech, shakiness, fast heartbeat, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, hunger.
• Serious allergic reactions. Get medical help right away if you have: a rash over your whole body, trouble breathing, fast heartbeat, feeling faint, or sweating.
• Low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia). Your doctor should monitor you for low blood potassium levels.
• Heart failure. Your doctor should monitor you closely while you are taking TZDs with Admelog.

Get emergency medical help if you have:

• Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, sweating, extreme drowsiness, dizziness, confusion.

Admelog may have additional side effects including injection site reactions which may include change in fat tissue, skin thickening, redness, swelling and itching.

Important Safety Information for Admelog (insulin lispro injection) SoloStar

Admelog SoloStar is a disposable prefilled insulin pen.  Talk to your doctor about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that comes with the pen.

Important Safety Information for Admelog (insulin lispro injection) when used in a pump

Do not mix or dilute Admelog when used in a pump.

Failure of your insulin pump or infusion set or degradation of the insulin in the pump can cause hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis.  Always carry an alternate form of insulin administration in the case of pump failure.s

Please see full Prescribing Information.

About Sanofi

Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN) (NYSE: SNY) is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

Sanofi, Empowering Life

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SAUS.GLA.18.03.1922

SOURCE Sanofi

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