Mylan launches generic EpiPen
PITTSBURGH — Mylan on Friday introduced an authorized generic for EpiPen (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-injector at a wholesale acquisition cost of $300 per injection. The product will reach pharmacies within approximately one week.
According to Mylan, the generic is more than 50% lower than the wholesale acquisition cost of its EpiPen 2-Pak Auto-Injectors and has the same drug formulation and device functionality as its EpiPen Auto-Injector.
"Americans are rightfully concerned about rising drug prices, and now more than ever patients and families across this country are standing at the pharmacy counter struggling to pay for their medications,” said Mylan CEO Heather Bresch. “While it is important to understand the outdated and complex system that determines what someone pays for medicine in the United States, hardworking families don't need an explanation, they need a solution. This is why we took decisive action with our EpiPen product and have launched the first generic version at half the [wholesale acquisition cost] price. This unprecedented action, along with the enhancements we made to our patient access programs, will help patients and provide substantial savings to payors.”
To further increase access to treatment, Mylan has launched an additional patient purchase option at $300 per two-pack. Mylan also is offering a savings card for eligible patients with commercial health insurance, providing up to $25 off the out-of-pocket cost for the authorized generic. Additionally, Mylan will continue to offer its patient assistance program to support uninsured and underinsured patients.
"Unfortunately, families will continue to face sticker shock for medications and may be forced to make difficult choices until the pharmaceutical pricing system is reformed to address the increasing shift of costs directly to consumers,” said Bresch. “Pharmaceutical pricing is too far removed from the patient at the pharmacy counter and not designed for today's increasingly consumerized healthcare system. Every day, escalating out-of-pocket costs impact a new patient population; however, this broader systemic issue will not be solved in a meaningful and sustainable way by our industry's one-off, reactive responses. This is an issue that will impact virtually every family on a high deductible plan, regardless of what medicine they are taking. That is why it is critical that all industry participants and government leaders come together to seize the opportunity to make fundamental changes to the system to ensure access to medicine.”
The authorized generic for EpiPen Auto-Injector is available in 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg strengths.