Overview

• CalRx biosimilar insulin glargine pens will be available in California pharmacies beginning January 1, 2026, at a suggested retail price of $55 per five-pack, or $11 per pen.
• The pens are interchangeable with Lantus, and the governor’s office says an equivalent amount of Lantus sells to pharmacies for more than $92.
• Under the state arrangement, pharmacies can buy the CalRx five-pack for $45, with Biocon Biologics supplying pens through Civica Rx.
• Less than a week before the announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law capping insured consumers’ out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month.
• The rollout comes after a missed 2024 target and unupdated plans for a proposed in-state plant, even as roughly 3.5 million Californians live with diabetes.