Sanofi has announced that it will lower the list price of its insulin drug, Lantus, by 78 percent and will set a $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs for all patients.
The price change and cap will go into effect starting January 1, 2024. They follow a series of moves made last year to lower the price of diabetes medicine, including the launch of an unbranded version of Lantus and a $35 cap for uninsured patients.
Yet, Olivier Bogillot, head of U.S. general medicines at Sanofi, said "the health system was unable to take advantage of it due to its inherent structural challenges."
“Sanofi believes that no one should struggle to pay for their insulin and we are proud of our continued actions to improve access and affordability for millions of patients for many years," he said. "Our decision to cut the list price of our lead insulin needs to be coupled with broader change to the overall system to actually drive savings for patients at the pharmacy counter.”
Sanofi will also cut the price of short-acting Apidra by 70 percent.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
