AstraZeneca to Cap Asthma and COPD Meds at $35 a Month

Starting June 1, 2024, AstraZeneca is capping out-of-pocket costs for its U.S. inhaled respiratory portfolio to $35 per month. Products include:

• Airsupra (albuterol and budesonide), which is an asthma rescue inhaler
• Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrrolate and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol, which is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder
• Breztri Aerosphere (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol, which is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder
• Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol, which is used as a maintenance therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and to treat patients 12 and older with asthma.

A company spokesperson said more details will be available closer to implementation but indicated the $35 cap would be for patients who are uninsured and underinsured.

In addition, AstraZeneca said it had reduced the list price of Symbicort beginning Jan. 1, 2024. The company said in a press release it will continue to provide discounts and rebates. The wholesale acquisition cost of Symbicort is $390.47 a month and the average out-of-pocket cost for Symbicort for a commercially insured patient is $56.20, when individual insurance plan design, formulary placement, provider access, assistance programs or savings offers are factored in, a spokesperson told Formulary Watch in August 2023.

Related: Boehringer Ingelheim to Cap Out-of-Pocket Cost for Inhalers at $35

This follows Boehringer Ingelheim’s announcement that it would lower the out-of-pocket costs for its asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease inhalers.

The rationale for new programs looks to expand those covered under their coupon programs, specifically the uninsured and underinsured, Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., RPh, senior vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics LLC, a drug intelligence firm. “This seems to be a new program for both companies,” he said.

AstraZeneca previously had coverage for uninsured and underinsured patients, but did not cap the cost at $35.“But it is unclear whether patients who previously had a $0 copay would go up to $35,” Casberg said.

This story has been updated to include information about the list price of Symbicort and to add comment from Casberg.