According to an international study published in BMJ Open in January 2025, the introduction of biosimilars has driven down insulin glargine prices across Europe.

Researchers from Milan, Italy; Geneva, Switzerland; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, reported changes in insulin glargine in the national markets of 28 European countries over the decade 2013-2023.

The study found that biosimilar market entry was associated with an overall significant price reduction for the originator, both immediately after entry and in the long-term post-entry period. No significant correlation was observed between the price of insulin and the countries’ economic indicators.

Price Analysis

This study assessed the price evolution of originator and biosimilar insulin glargine following the launch of one or more biosimilars in each country.

The analysis included 27 EU countries, but data were not available for Germany, Malta, or Luxembourg. Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK were included, bringing the total number of countries to 28.

According to the authors, this is the first study in Europe to examine insulin glargine price trends and their association with biosimilar entry. The analysis used the official list price data from 28 countries in the European medicine price database. The prices of originator insulin fell significantly after biosimilars entered the market. The median biosimilar costs were lower than those of the originator, although the prices varied widely between countries and manufacturers.

Across all 28 countries, the median price of insulin glargine fell by 21.6% between 2013 and 2023 after the introduction of one or two biosimilars. In 2022, the median price of a 3-mL prefilled pen (100 IU/mL) of the originator Lantus was €9.0 (interquartile range [IQR], €8.1-10.4). The biosimilar Abasaglar was priced at €8.9 (IQR, €7.6-10.1) and Semglee at €7.0 (IQR, €6.8-7.5).

Country Variations

Originator prices were higher than biosimilar prices. The introduction of one or two biosimilars was consistently associated with significant cost reductions, both immediately after market entry and over the long term.

Marked differences have emerged among countries. For the same products, the prices in Italy and Switzerland were twice as high as those in France. In Austria, the difference between the originator and biosimilar insulin glargine reached 40%. In contrast, in Spain, Lantus, Abasaglar, and Semglee were sold at similar prices.

The study also noted no correlation between insulin glargine prices and national economic indicators, indicating that country-specific health policies influence the pricing.

Policy Context

The researchers highlighted that while marketing authorisation for diabetes medicines and biosimilars is centralised by the European Medicines Agency, pricing, procurement, and reimbursement, as well as any measures to promote the use of generics and biosimilars, are the national responsibility. These factors contribute to the wide variation in insulin costs across Europe.

Biosimilars play a significant role in controlling healthcare costs in Europe. A 2022 report estimated that the use of biosimilars would generate more than €30 billion in cumulative savings across the region.

This story was translated from MediQuality.