Merck shelves insulin but wins on Renflexis

Merck Sharp & Dohme has decided that it will not commercialise its tentatively-approved follow-on version of Sanofi’s Lantus (insulin glargine) in the US, citing issues around the pricing environment for the diabetes treatment, as well as the high manufacturing costs. Development partner Samsung Bioepis revealed in a stock exchange filing that it had received a US$155 million termination fee or ‘disposal price’.