Sanofi outlines marketing and pricing strategy for Toujeo

French drug major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) is to initially target newly-diagnosed patients with its recently-approved once-daily, long-acting basal insulin Toujeo (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection, 300 U/mL), but will not offer a discount against Lantus (insulin glargine), according to reports by Bloomberg.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved Toujeo in February, based on evidence that it had similar blood glucose control properties as Lantus. Pierre Chancel, head of Sanofi’s diabetes branch, said that “there is no reason to give higher rebates” for Toujeo, and that it is “an improvement on something that is already great.” The company forecasts a “substantial” conversion of patients to Toujeo from Lantus, and no biosimilar competition to Lantus will be on the market in the USA before 2019.

Lantus’ revenue stood at $6.7 billion last year, is expected to reach $7.1 billion this year, and fall to $5.4 billion in 2020 as the effects of patent expiry kick in. Mr Chancel said that Toujeo will be promoted to the 1 million people in the USA who need to start diabetes treatment every year, and to the 50% of patients whose blood glucose is not controlled by Lantus or other insulins.