Lupkynis (voclosporin) treats active lupus nephritis in adults. The price you pay for Lupkynis may depend on your dosage and whether you have health insurance. Financial assistance may be available to help with the cost of Lupkynis.

Several factors can affect the price you’ll pay for Lupkynis. These include:

  • your treatment plan
  • your insurance coverage, if you have health insurance
  • available financial assistance for Lupkynis (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section)

You may need to purchase Lupkynis through a specialty pharmacy authorized to carry specialty drugs. This type of drug may be costly or require help from healthcare professionals to ensure you take it safely and effectively. For more details about how to obtain Lupkynis, talk with your doctor.

To find out your cost for Lupkynis, talk with your doctor or insurance provider.

Lupkynis comes only as a brand-name drug. It’s not currently available in a generic version. A generic contains an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication but tends to cost less.

Why is there such a cost difference between brand-name drugs and generics?

Years of research and testing are needed to ensure that brand-name drugs are safe and effective. This testing can make the drugs expensive. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell the drug exclusively for up to 20 years. After that, other drugmakers can create generic versions. This competition in the market can lead to lower costs for generics. And because generics have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower generic costs.

If you take Lupkynis long term, you may be able to lower your costs by getting a 90-day supply of the drug. Your insurance company will need to approve this. If you’re interested in a 90-day supply of Lupkynis, talk with your doctor or insurance provider.

If you need financial support to pay for Lupkynis or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available. For example:

  • A program called Aurinia Alliance is available for Lupkynis. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 833-AURINIA (833-287-4642) or visit the program website. It provides information about insurance, copay, and more.
  • Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs and ways to make the most of your insurance coverage. Some also provide links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about Lupkynis’s cost.

How does the cost of Lupkynis compare vs. the cost of Benlysta?

The price you would pay for Lupkynis versus Benlysta depends on various factors.

For instance, the form of the drug may affect its price. Lupkynis is available in capsules. Benlysta is available in two forms. One is a powder that is mixed into a liquid and given by infusion (injection) into a vein. The other is a liquid solution for subcutaneous injection, which means under the skin. Typically, an injectable medication costs more than an oral medication.

Additional factors that can affect your prescription cost include:

  • the length of your treatment
  • whether payment assistance programs are available for your prescribed treatment
  • whether you’re paying out of pocket or have insurance

To learn more about the cost of Lupkynis compared with other treatments for your condition, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Is Lupkynis covered by Medicare?

It may be. You can call your Medicare plan provider to learn whether your particular plan covers the cost of this drug. Many types of Medicare plans exist. So your coverage and what you pay for prescriptions will be based on your particular plan’s benefits.

You may also need to obtain prior authorization before your plan will cover the cost of this medication. See the “Insurance considerations” section for more information about this.

Your doctor may be able to provide information about the cost of Lupkynis with Medicare.

You may want to consider the following information if you have insurance and take Lupkynis.

If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Lupkynis. This means the company and your doctor will discuss the drug in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether Lupkynis is covered.

If a drug requires prior authorization but you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Lupkynis requires prior authorization.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.