Lilly Launches Rezvoglar in the US

Eli Lilly and Company has launched its insulin glargine biosimilar, Rezvoglar (insulin glargine-aglr), on the US market, making it the second interchangeable insulin biosimilar to become commercially available to American patients with diabetes.

Lilly’s KwikPen autoinjector for Rezvoglar

Rezvolgar was approved as the fourth biosimilar to receive an interchangeability designation in November 2022. It was originally approved by the FDA in December 2021. Insulin glargine products are used to improve glycemic control in adult and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes and in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Interchangeability allows for pharmacists to substitute an insulin glargine prescription with Rezvoglar or Semglee (insulin glargine-yfgn), the first insulin glargine biosimilar to be deemed interchangeable, without having to get permission from a physician. The designation is unique to the United States and is intended to improve accessibility to biosimilars by allowing patients to get their medications faster if the one listed on their prescription is not available.

In early March, when Lilly announced that it will lower its list prices for all its insulin products, the company disclosed that Rezvolgar will launch at a 78% discount to the reference product (Lantus). The biosimilar will be available to patients for $92 for a 5-pack of KwikPens, the company’s autoinjector device.

In addition to Semglee and Lantus, Rezvoglar will compete against Basaglar, an authorized generic insulin. Authorized generic products, also known as follow-on biologics, are biosimilars by definition; however, because they were approved by the FDA prior to the installation of a biosimilars approval pathway, they are not legally considered biosimilars in the United States.

Outside of Rezvoglar, Lilly is the owner of Humulin (recombinant human insulin) and Humalog (reference insulin lispro), as well as an unbranded insulin lispro product.