Mylan launches the first generic for EpiPen Auto-Injector as an authorized generic

Authorized generic offered at more than 50% below wholesale acquisition cost of EpiPen auto-injector.

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch commented: "Americans are rightfully concerned about rising drug prices, and now more than ever patients and families across this country are standing at the pharmacy counter struggling to pay for their medications. While it is important to understand the outdated and complex system that determines what someone pays for medicine in the US, hardworking families don't need an explanation, they need a solution. This is why we took decisive action with our EpiPen product and have launched the first generic version at half the WAC price. This unprecedented action, along with the enhancements we made to our patient access programs, will help patients and provide substantial savings to payors.

"Unfortunately, families will continue to face sticker shock for medications and may be forced to make difficult choices until the pharmaceutical pricing system is reformed to address the increasing shift of costs directly to consumers. Pharmaceutical pricing is too far removed from the patient at the pharmacy counter and not designed for today's increasingly consumerized healthcare system. Every day, escalating out-of-pocket costs impact a new patient population; however, this broader systemic issue will not be solved in a meaningful and sustainable way by our industry's one-off, reactive responses. This is an issue that will impact virtually every family on a high deductible plan, regardless of what medicine they are taking. That is why it is critical that all industry participants and government leaders come together to seize the opportunity to make fundamental changes to the system to ensure access to medicine.

"Making quality medicines and making them accessible to patients has been our mission since Mylan began in West Virginia more than 55 years ago. As one of the world's largest generics companies, our medicines filled one out of 13 of all prescriptions in the US last year - the equivalent of 21 billion doses - which is more than Pfizer, Merck, AstraZeneca, J&J, Sanofi and GSK combined. We will continue to do our part to fight for changes that will make a difference in the lives of patients and remain deeply committed to serving patients in the severe allergy community by working to ensure that everyone who needs an EpiPen has access to one."