Kaléo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, has announced the Auvi-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) auto-injector will be available by prescription starting February 14, and announced Auvi-Q affordability, a first-of-its-kind access programme for Auvi-Q. Through this new programme, patients with commercial insurance, even those with high-deductible plans, will have an out-of-pocket cost of $0. For patients who do not have government or commercial insurance, and have a household income of less than $100,000, Auvi-Q will be available free of charge. In addition, the cash price for Auvi-Q is $360 and will be available to those patients without government or commercial insurance. Each Auvi-Q prescription includes two auto-injectors and one trainer for Auvi-Q.

“We met with patients and physicians and listened to the very real challenges in the current healthcare environment with obtaining access to affordable medicines,” said Spencer Williamson, president and chief executive officer of kaléo. “As a result, starting February 14, for more than 200 million Americans with commercial insurance, including those with high-deductible plans, the out-of-pocket cost for Auvi-Q will be $0.”

Auvi-Q is a FDA-approved prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions. It is an epinephrine auto-injector with innovative features such as voice instructions that help guide a user with step-by-step instructions through the epinephrine delivery process and an automatic retractable needle system, a first for epinephrine auto-injectors, that injects the epinephrine and retracts the needle back into the device within seconds.

“We know how important it is that severely allergic patients have an epinephrine auto-injector that can be with them at all times and used correctly, even without training, during a panic-stricken allergic emergency,” said Eric Edwards M.D., Ph.D, vice president of product strategy at kaléo. “We are excited to make Auvi-Q, an epinephrine auto-injector with innovative features, available for millions of patients living with severe, life-threatening allergies.”

Auvi-Q affordability is a first-of-its-kind program and commitment for Auvi-Q, designed to provide affordable access to this potentially life-saving epinephrine auto-injector for eligible patients. This new program removes potential and previously experienced insurance barriers, restrictions and delays, even for those commercially-insured patients with high-deductible plans. Auvi-Q will also be available via a direct delivery service, that can ensure the best expiration dating for Auvi-Q.