FDA Approves Max SoloStar, the Highest-Capacity Basal Insulin Pen

By Amelia Dmowska  

Toujeo Max SoloStar will launch later this year in the US. It holds 900 units of insulin and can dose up to 160 units in one injection, meaning fewer refills and possible co-pay savings

The Max SoloStar Toujeo (insulin glargine U300) injection pen, which holds more basal (long-acting) insulin than any other pen available, has been approved in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The pen, made by Sanofi, should be available in pharmacies by later this year. Max SoloStar’s higher capacity means fewer injections for people who take more than 80 units of insulin at one time and fewer trips to the pharmacy – this seems like a very convenient upgrade!

Max SoloStar contains and can deliver twice as much insulin as the original SoloStar pen. The original SoloStar holds 450 units and can dose up to 80 units in a single injection, while the Max SoloStar pen holds 900 units of insulin and can dose up to 160 units in a single injection.

The pen’s higher capacity also means fewer trips to the pharmacy to get refills, and, according to Sanofi’s announcement, potentially fewer co-pays as a result. The Max SoloStar will reportedly cost the same amount per unit of insulin as the original Toujeo SoloStar, and the co-pay will likely be the same or very similar to the original.

Sanofi will also offer a savings program for Toujeo by providing co-pay cards to individuals with eligible private insurance. With the co-pay card, people who are new to Toujeo will pay as little as $0 for their first three pens, then $10 for the next 12 pens (for both Max SoloStar and SoloStar). 

After the Max SoloStar, the second highest capacity long-acting insulin pen is Novo Nordisk’s Tresiba FlexTouch pen. This pen also doses up to 160 units, but holds 600 units of insulin.

Lilly’s Humulin U500 KwikPen (500 units of active insulin per mL) is the highest capacity intermediate-acting insulin pen, holding 1,500 units of insulin and delivering up to 300 units per injection. The KwikPen has the highest concentration of insulin currently available and is available at a lower cost; however, the KwikPen doesn’t allow users to be as flexible and specific with dosing as the Tuojeo Max SoloStar and Tresiba FlexTouch. The most important difference, of course, is that Humulin, as an intermediate-acting insulin, has a faster and less sustained effect than Toujeo and Tresiba.