Dive Brief:
- New data of Novo Nordisk's Tresiba may not be enough to prompt Express Scipts to list the insulin drug as a preferred option on its forumlary, Bloomberg reports.
- Novo is hoping to convince benefits managers like Express Scripts that Tresiba is a better option than Sanofi's market-leading Lantus.
- At the beginning of February, a head to head trial comparing Tresiba to Lantus showed patients treated with Tresiba had 30% fewer hypoglycemic events.
Dive Insight:
The insulin market is heading for a shake-up. With the long dominant Lantus losing patent exclusivity, other companies are hoping to boost their market share. Last year, Lantus generated 6.4 billion euros in revenue, but the fourth quarter saw notable declines in the U.S. and European markets.
Novo's Tresiba won approval in the U.S. last fall, making it the first new FDA-approved basal insulin product in ten years. According to Bloomberg, sales are forecast to hit $2.5 billion by 2020. Novo will lean on studies like the head to head trial with Lantus in order to convince payers of Tresiba's value.
However, Elil Lilly will be also be competitive after the FDA granted approval to its follow-on biologic Basaglar, a copycat of Lantus. Lilly plans to price Basaglar lower than Lantus but no price has been set.