HUMULIN R biosimilars — when can they launch?
HUMULIN R (INSULIN HUMAN) · BLA018780 · LILLY
Where HUMULIN R sits in the biosimilar timeline
BPCIA reference product exclusivity for HUMULIN R expired in 1994. Biosimilars are eligible for FDA 351(k) approval in the US. Active biosimilar applications and approvals will appear here as they're filed.
Under the US Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA), a reference biologic is protected from biosimilar competition for 12 years from FDA approval (with 4 years of data exclusivity preventing 351(k) submissions). Biosimilars enter via the abbreviated 351(k) pathway, which requires comparability — not exact identity — to the reference product.
Key dates for HUMULIN R
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| FDA approval (BLA filed by LILLY) | 1982-10-28 | Past |
| 4-year data exclusivity ends (first biosimilar 351(k) submission permitted) | 1986-10-28 | Past |
| 12-year reference product exclusivity ends (first biosimilar can be marketed) | 1994-10-28 | Past |
Note: composition-of-matter and method-of-use patent expiries (separate from BPCIA exclusivity) may set the actual launch window. See HUMULIN R on Drug Landscape for the full patent picture.
Other LILLY biologics
- HUMATROPE — exclusivity to 1998-10-16
- INSULIN LISPRO — exclusivity to 2008-06-14
- HUMALOG MIX75/25 — exclusivity to 2011-12-22
- HUMALOG MIX50/50 KWIKPEN — exclusivity to 2011-12-22
Sources
- FDA Purple Book — biologic license applications + BPCIA exclusivity
- HUMULIN R drug profile — full patent estate, indications, clinical trials
- LILLY patent portfolio
Not legal advice. BPCIA exclusivity may interact with composition-of-matter patents and patent term extensions — see the full drug profile for the consolidated picture.
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