Mylan NV’s EpiPen to get completion from rival Kaleo Inc’s Auvi-Q

Mylan NV's, EpiPen which enjoys a monopoly in the US allergy-shot market, will see competition from drugmaker Kaleo Inc, which said it planned to resume sales of a competing product that was recalled last year.

Kaleo's injector, Auvi-Q, was recalled from US sales about a year ago due to potential malfunctions that could end up giving patients the wrong dose of drug. According to a statement from Kaleo, Wednesday, the shot was set to return to the market in the first half of 2017.

Chief executive officer Spencer Williamson said in a phone interview that it had not decided on a price.

''We're working with multiple stakeholders including wholesalers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, etc., to establish a comprehensive access program,'' he said, Bloomberg reported. ''We're focused on minimizing the out-of-pocket costs for the patient.''

Kaleo's announcement comes in the backdrop of Mylan facing flak for the price of its EpiPen product, used to counteract life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. EpiPen's wholesale price increased sixfold since 2007 to list for about $600 for a two-pack. (See: Mylan raises prices of allergy medication EpiPens 500%) Auvi-Q was initially marketed by French drug giant Sanofi. Earlier this year, Sanofi said it was ending the partnership with Kaleo, and giving the marketing rights to the device back to the Richmond, Virgina-based company.

However, according  to commentators whether this would do anything much to lower EpiPen prices was far from clear, especially since it cost more than the EpiPen when it was on the market.

Also a generic version of the EpiPen, recently announced by Mylan, was expected to be in the market by the end of the year, which might further lower the price of similar products.

''We understand that price is central to this conversation,'' Williamson said. ''We believe that patients should be able to obtain the product without insurance barriers or high out-of-pocket costs. That's our focus.''