Low-cost, biosimilar insulin for all Californians who need it.
Low-cost, biosimilar insulin for all Californians who need it.
The State of California is proud to announce the availability of CalRx® Insulin Glargine pens—priced at just $55 for a five-pack of 3 mL pens beginning January 1, 2026.
This white label launch, in partnership with Civica Rx and Biocon Biologics, significantly reduces financial barriers for Californians who rely on insulin. CalRx continues to advance affordable insulin access by partnering with Civica Rx to develop its own biosimilar insulin glargine product alongside ongoing efforts to bring rapid-acting insulin aspart to market under the CalRx label.
While patients with good insurance coverage may pay very little cost-sharing for their insulin, many people living with diabetes do not fall into this category or are at risk of paying high out-of-pocket costs during coverage disruptions, such as unemployment or aging out of dependent coverage.
People with diabetes who are uninsured or underinsured (often due to enrollment in plans with high deductibles) often must pay the list price for their insulin, spending thousands of dollars per year to afford their lifesaving and life-sustaining medications.
- Newer versions of insulin often have retail prices of $300 or more per vial.
- National data suggests that as many as 1 in 4 people with diabetes cannot afford their insulin.
- Even people with moderate deductible plans still spend substantial sums on their insulin.
CalRx® biosimilar insulin addresses this affordability crisis.
What does biosimilar insulin mean?
When talking about biosimilars, it is helpful to understand 3 different terms: Biologic, biosimilar and interchangeable.
Biologics generally come from living organisms, including animal cells or microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast. Biologics include a wide range of products such as vaccines, blood and blood components, hormones, and antibodies. In addition to insulin, a common example of a biologic drug is the flu vaccine.
Biosimilars are biologics that are highly similar to a biologic that has already been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). A biosimilar must have no clinically meaningful differences from their reference product in terms of safety, purity, and potency. If a biosimilar has not been determined to be interchangeable with the reference product (see below), a pharmacy may require a new prescription in order to dispense the biosimilar.
An interchangeable biosimilar drug is a product that may be substituted for the reference product without the need for a new prescription, much like what pharmacies routinely do for conventional generic drugs. The FDA evaluates the totality of analytical and clinical evidence in order to determine whether a product is designated interchangeable.
For more information on biosimilar drugs, please refer to the FDA website, here.
How can the CalRx® Biosimilar Insulin Initiative make insulin more affordable?
California can make insulin more affordable by partnering with an insulin manufacturer to develop and manufacture biosimilar insulin at cost, setting low, transparent prices significantly below current market rates, and making these products widely available to all residents regardless of insurance status.
By introducing low-cost insulin to the market, CalRx puts downward pressure on other manufacturers to lower their prices as well, potentially making insulin more affordable for everyone.
How can I get affordable insulin?
CalRx® will focus on low-cost, transparent pricing without the use coupons, discount programs, or rebates, except for federally mandated rebates. The low-priced insulin products will be available to all Californians regardless of insurance status.
In addition to the consumer savings associated with low-priced CalRx® biosimilar insulins, the State’s manufacturing partner will ensure:
- Priority access: California will have priority of supply, so that the state’s volume needs are met.
- Wide availability: The intent is for these products to reach pharmacies, retailers, and other channels, such as mail order pharmacy.
How much will CalRx® branded insulins cost?
Civica has announced that the manufacturer suggested retail price for a 10mL vial of insulin will be no more than $30, and a 5-pack of 3 mL pens will be no more than $55, including the cost of distribution and pharmacy dispensing. This will be the same price for CalRx® branded insulin and those prices are a fraction of the cash prices of $300 per vial, or more than $500 for a 5-pack of pens people often pay today.
Is California still planning on having its own insulin manufacturing facility?
While $50 million had originally been allocated to support an in-state manufacturing facility, this funding was eliminated in Fiscal Year 2025/2026 due to budget savings measures.
What does the white label agreement mean to Civica’s own insulin glargine development effort already in progress?
Through its partnership with Biocon Biologics, Civica Rx and the State recognized an opportunity to bring an affordable CalRx-labeled insulin glargine to market sooner, even as Civica’s broader development efforts progress. Over the long term, Civica will continue independently producing all three interchangeable biosimilar insulins to ensure a reliable and affordable insulin supply for California.
Will I need a prescription to obtain CalRx-branded insulin glargine pens?
The CalRx-branded insulin glargine pens are interchangeable with the brand-name product, Lantus®. This means that you can ask your pharmacist if they can substitute your current Lantus or other interchangeable insulin glargine product for CalRx-branded insulin and, if you have a current insulin prescription for Lantus, you would not need a new doctor’s prescription to make the substitution to the respective CalRx-branded insulin.
When will insulin glargine be available in vial form?
Civica continues its ongoing efforts to independently produce insulin glargine vials and pens under the CalRx label and is actively engaging with the FDA while conducting essential quality testing. Civica is making good progress, and the State of California remains committed to making sure this initiative is successful.
