Civica to Manufacture Lower-Priced Insulin for Diabetes Patients

Civica recently announced plans to manufacture and distribute insulin to diabetes patients at significantly lower prices than insulins currently on the market. 

Civica, CivicaScript, and the Civica Foundation will collaborate with partners that represent nearly every corner of the diabetes ecosystem, including Arnold Ventures, Beyond Type 1, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Gary and Mary West Foundation, Glen Tullman Family Foundation, Intermountain Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Transcarent, and Trinity Health.  

The availability of these affordable insulins will benefit diabetes patients forced to choose between life-sustaining medicines and living expenses.  

“Diabetes is arguably America’s most expensive chronic condition, and it is heartbreaking that millions of people are rationing their care and putting their lives at risk because they can no longer afford insulin,” Dan Liljenquist, board chair of Civica and the innovator behind Civica’s non-profit business model, said in the announcement.  

“Through mission-driven partnerships, we are choosing to create a new market reality where no one is forced to ration essential diabetes medications,” Liljenquist continued.  

A 2020 Rand Corporation study found that insulin prices are more than eight times higher in the US than in 32 comparable, high-income nations combined. On average, the US manufacturer price per standard unit across all insulins was $98.70, compared to $6.94 in Australia, $12.00 in Canada, and $7.52 in the UK.  

Therefore, as many as one-quarter of insulin users skip doses or take less than prescribed amounts due to high costs, according to a JAMA Internal Medicine study.   

But as biosimilars enter the US market, increased competition will make these vital medicines 15–35% cheaper, granting patients more treatment options.  

Therefore, as part of the initiative, Civica and GeneSys Biologics collaborated for three biosimilar insulins: glargine, lispro, and apart. Civica will leverage GeneSys’ drug substance to co-develop and manufacture the drug products, complete clinical trials, and file necessary applications for FDA approval.  

Civica will manufacture the insulins at its 140,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Virginia and offer the medicine in vials and prefilled pens. The company will offer glargine, lispro, and apart for no more than $30 per vial and no more than $55 for a box of five pen cartridges, a considerable discount to prices currently charged to uninsured individuals.  

Civica anticipates that the first insulin (glargine) will be available for purchase as soon as 2024.