How Much Does Dupixent Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

Dupixent, an injection used to treat eczema, is only available by prescription and no generic is available at the time of this publishing.

The first biologic medication that was approved by the FDA, this biologic drug, according to the National Eczema Association, is genetically engineered from proteins that are derived from living cells or tissues, which are designed to target specific parts of the immune system that’s responsible for chronic inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

“Helping your skin within,” as the manufacturer claims, your skin can begin to heal with Dupixent, helping adults who suffer from moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis that cannot be controlled with prescription therapies such as topical lotions.

Dupixent Cost
Atopic dermatitis” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Oregon State University

How much does Dupixent cost?

The cost of Dupixent depends on a few factors, including the pharmacy you choose, your health insurance policy and the quantity prescribed.  Based on these factors, the costs per injection, without any insurance involved, can cost close to $1,500 per injection, with the costs slightly decreasing as you purchase more cartons.   From all of the pharmacies we called, ranging from Costco to Walmart and Walgreens, the prices seemed to be quite close.

As for health insurance, the coverage seemed to be mixed as to whether or not the injection was covered.  GoodRX.com, for example, noted that Medicare will not cover it, while someone on this Reddit.com thread stated she only paid $0 after her insurance and the manufacturer of Dupixent paid its share.  To be certain if your health insurance covers it or not, either search your insurance company’s drug database online or talk with the insurance company and/or pharmacy for more information as to your coverage restrictions.

According to the New York Times, the list price of the drug is said to be $37,000 a year.

How to save on Dupixent

Manufacturer coupon:  The official manufacturer of the drug, Sanofi, offers a program called Dupixent MyWay, a program designed to help eligible patients pay as little as $0.  This card is only available to those with current commercial insurance coverage, and to see if you do qualify, follow the link above to see if you qualify.

Assistance programs:  Certain support programs offer financial help to those who qualify, just like the manufacturer program mentioned above.  If you feel you have exhausted your state and federal assistance programs, then you may want to look at specific third-party assistance programs that specifically help with this drug in particular.   Genzyme Patient Support Services, for example, helps eligible patients, usually those on a limited income and restricted insurance, for this drug as per its official drug list and can help you as long as you meet certain guidelines.  To see if you qualify, again, follow the link for more information.

Prescription coupons:  No matter what your circumstances are, prescription coupons via third-party websites, such as GoodRX.com, are available for everyone.  Working just like a health insurance policy, all you need to do is find the pharmacy and drug you want to use, print out the card and take it to your local pharmacy of choice to pay the price posted on the website.  Do keep in mind, however, that if you do choose this option, you will not be able to use your health insurance policy on top of it.

Larger supply:  While the savings won’t be drastic, you can still save if you ask your doctor for a larger quantity at the time of prescription.

Dupixent overview

Being an injection, Dupixent is injected under the skin and your doctor, before prescribing it, will show you exactly how the injection works to make sure you’re comfortable with the process.  Always take your injections as directed, never taking more, less or stopping without your doctor’s discretion.  When done with your injections, it’s important to always put your used needles and syringes in a special sharps container and never inside of a trash can.  If you do not have a sharps container, either ask your doctor for one or purchase one online.

Dupixent side effects

The most common side effects reported during the clinical trials included pink eye, injection-related side effects and cold sores on the lips and in the mouth.

How does it work?

Dupixent works by blocking a protein known as interleukin, or also as IL, by preventing it from binding to the cell receptors.  These proteins are known to help fight off viruses or bacteria in the body, but when our immune system goes into overdrive, it can often mistakenly trigger certain ILs, resulting in some chronic inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis.  The medication will target two specific interleukins which are known to contribute to atopic dermatitis:  IL-4 and IL-13, and by blocking these proteins from binding to the receptors, it can help prevent your immune system going into overdrive, calming it down effectively, leading to fewer symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis.  Since it is made from proteins, it must be given by injection and cannot be taken orally or as a cream as doing so would make the drug much less effective.

Dupixent results

In clinical studies, more than one in three patients saw clear or almost clear skin at the 16-week mark with patients experiencing a reduction in itching at this time as well.  Almost half of the patients, in comparison to the placebo group, saw some sort of improvement at 16 weeks.  You can view more than 18 completed studies via the Clinical Trials database for more information in regards to the studies.


Advertising Disclosure: This content may include referral links. Please read our disclosure policy for more info.

Null

Average Reported Cost: $3673.5

100 %
0 %
Less Expensive $1 $1.5K $3K $5K $6.5K More Expensive $8k

How much did you spend?

Was it worth it?  

  1. Maggie (Kissimmee ,  Florida) paid $547 and said:

    Incredibly expensive but it is working little by little.

    Was it worth it? Yes

  2. BB (Ashburn,  Virginia) paid $6800 and said:

    It costs close to 7K per month, without insurance.

    Was it worth it? Yes

About Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
Copyright © 2022 | Proudly affiliated with the T2 Web Network, LLC
The information contained on this website is intended as an educational aid only and is not intended as medical and/or legal advice.