Jardiance, Farxiga, and More: How to Save on 7 SGLT2 Inhibitors
Key takeaways:
There are currently seven sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors available on the U.S. market. They can help treat health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure.
Popular SGLT2 inhibitors include Jardiance (empagliflozin), Farxiga (dapagliflozin), and Invokana (canagliflozin). Bexagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor that’s sold under two brand names: Brenzavvy (for humans) and Bexacat (for cats).
There are ways to save on SGLT2 inhibitors. Many options have copay savings opportunities. GoodRx can help make your prescription more affordable.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have made a meaningful impact on treating multiple health conditions in the past decade. This class of medications was originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes by removing excess glucose (sugar) from the body via urine.
But as further research on SGLT2 inhibitors was conducted, experts discovered they have more health benefits. They can also help slow kidney damage and reduce the risk of complications from heart failure.
This class of medications has greatly expanded in recent years and will likely continue to do so. Here, we’ll review seven available SGLT2 inhibitors, plus ways you can save on prescriptions for them.
Good to know: Many SGLT2 inhibitors are included in combination medications. We won’t cover those here. Check out our other article on combination diabetes medications for more details.
1. Jardiance
Jardiance (empagliflozin) was first FDA approved in 2014. It comes as 10 mg and 25 mg tablets that can be taken by mouth once a day. The specific dosage depends on the health condition Jardiance is treating.
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Jardiance’s FDA-approved uses
Jardiance has four different FDA-approved uses:
To lower blood glucose in adults and children ages 10 years and older with Type 2 diabetes (paired with a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise)
To lower the risk heart-related death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
To lower the risk of being hospitalized for or dying from heart failure in adults
To reduce complications due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults, such as worsening kidney function, hospitalization, and heart-related death
Good to know: Jardiance can be prescribed for heart failure or CKD in people with or without diabetes.
How to save on Jardiance
Jardiance is only available as a brand-name medication. But there are ways to save. GoodRx can help you navigate between copay savings cards and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $10 for up to a 90-day supply of Jardiance using a savings card from the manufacturer.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Jardiance’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
How it feels: Three people share their experiences with Jardiance, which can be beneficial for many people living with Type 2 diabetes.
Comparing medication classes: SGLT2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are two groups of medications that can treat Type 2 diabetes and other health conditions. Read about the differences between SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists.
Diabetes medications and body weight: SGLT2 inhibitors can lead to modest weight loss for some people. Read more about diabetes medications and their impact on body weight.
2. Farxiga
Farxiga (dapagliflozin) was also initially FDA approved in 2014. It comes available as 5 mg and 10 mg tablets that can be taken by mouth once a day. The dose you take depends on why you’re taking it and your kidney function.
Farxiga’s FDA-approved uses
Farxiga also has four FDA-approved uses:
To lower blood glucose in adults and children ages 10 years and older with Type 2 diabetes alongside a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise
To lower the risk of being hospitalized for heart failure in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease or multiple heart-related risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol
To lower the risk of being hospitalized, needing urgent care visits, or dying from heart problems in adults with heart failure
To reduce complications due to CKD in adults, such as worsening kidney function, hospitalization, and heart-related death
Good to know: Similar to Jardiance, you can take Farxiga for heart failure or CKD even if you don’t have diabetes.
How to save on Farxiga
There are ways to save on Farxiga, which is available as a brand-name medication and authorized generic. GoodRx can help you navigate between GoodRx coupons, copay savings cards, and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription.
Save with GoodRx: Anyone with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status, can use GoodRx to purchase a 30-day supply of Farxiga at an exclusive cash price of $288.
Save with a copay savings card: If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 for Farxiga using a savings card from the manufacturer.
Save with patient assistance programs: If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Farxiga’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of charge.
3. Invokana
Invokana (canagliflozin) was the first FDA-approved SGLT2 inhibitor. It came to the U.S. market in 2013. It comes as 100 mg and 300 mg tablets that are taken by mouth once a day before the first meal of the day. The dose of Invokana you take depends on why you’re taking it and your kidney function.
Invokana’s FDA-approved uses
Invokana has three FDA-approved uses:
To lower blood glucose in adults with Type 2 diabetes alongside a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise
To lower the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other heart-related complications in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
To lower the risk of developing end-stage kidney disease, doubling creatinine levels (a marker of kidney health), and hospitalization or death due to heart failure in adults with Type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related kidney problems
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Unlike Jardiance and Farxiga, Invokana’s heart and kidney-related uses are only FDA approved for adults with Type 2 diabetes. This is because Invokana hasn’t been as well studied in people without diabetes. But many experts believe all SGLT2 inhibitors may have these benefits, regardless of whether someone has diabetes.
How to save on Invokana
There are ways to save on Invokana, which is only available as a brand-name medication:
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 per month for Invokana using a savings card from the manufacturer.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured, you may be eligible for Invokana’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
4. Steglatro
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) was FDA approved in 2017. It’s available as either 5 mg or 15 mg tablets that you take by mouth once a day. Your Steglatro dosage depends on how well you respond to the medication.
Steglatro’s FDA-approved uses
Unlike the SGLT2 inhibitors listed above, Steglatro only has one FDA-approved use. It can help lower blood glucose in adults with Type 2 diabetes alongside a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise. However, studies suggest Steglatro may help lower the risk of complications due to heart failure or CKD in adults with Type 2 diabetes.
It’s not recommended that people with moderate to severe kidney problems take Steglatro to treat diabetes. This is because clinical trials have shown it doesn’t provide the same glucose-lowering benefits for these groups.
How to save on Steglatro
Steglatro is only available as a brand-name medication at this time. GoodRx can help you save over 20% off the average retail price. Steglatro’s price at certain pharmacies may be as low as $348.60 with a free GoodRx discount.
5. Brenzavvy
Brenzavvy (bexagliflozin) was FDA approved in 2023. It comes as a 20 mg tablet and is taken by mouth once a day. Unlike the SGLT2 inhibitors discussed above, the dosage is the same for everyone.
Brenzavvy’s FDA-approved uses
Similar to Steglatro, Brenzavvy is only FDA approved to lower blood glucose in adults with Type 2 diabetes alongside a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise. Because it’s one of the newest SGLT2 inhibitors, it hasn’t been studied enough to know if it has kidney or heart-related benefits yet.
Where to get Brenzavvy
Brenzavvy can only be ordered through certain online and independent pharmacies. Make sure your healthcare team is aware of this when prescribing it. They’ll need to send a prescription for Brenzavvy to a pharmacy that’s able to fill it. GoodRx can help you get set up with one of these pharmacies, which offers a 1-month supply of Brenzavvy for about $60.
6. Bexacat (bexagliflozin)
Bexacat (bexagliflozin) contains the same active ingredient as Brenzavvy. But this SGLT2 inhibitor is for cats with diabetes. Bexacat comes as 15 mg tablets that are chewable, flavored, and given by mouth once a day.
Bexacat’s FDA-approved uses
Bexacat is FDA approved to help treat cats with diabetes who are otherwise healthy and have never taken insulin. It’s recommended that cats taking it weigh at least 6.6 lbs (3 kg).
Giving Bexacat to cats who have taken or are currently taking insulin can be dangerous. It can raise the risk of a life-threatening complication called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA (too much acid in the blood).
Note: Humans shouldn’t take Bexacat, even though it has the same active ingredient as Brenzavvy.
Where to get Bexacat
Similar to Brenzavvy, Bexacat is only available through certain online distributors. Your cat’s veterinarian will need to order it through one of these suppliers. They’ll likely provide you with your cat’s prescription at their office. GoodRx can help you get set up with one of these distributors, as well as provide a coupon for 20% off your total order.
7. Inpefa
Inpefa (sotagliflozin) is a bit unique from the SGLT2 inhibitors already discussed. It’s a sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 and 2 (SGLT1/SGLT2) inhibitor. Like those above, it removes extra glucose through your urine. But Inpefa also blocks glucose absorption in the gut.
Inpefa comes as 200 mg and 400 mg tablets. The target dosage is 400 mg by mouth once a day no more than 1 hour before your first meal. But if you’re having too many side effects, your prescriber may lower your dose to 200 mg once a day.
Inpefa’s FDA-approved uses
Inpefa is FDA approved to lower the risk of being hospitalized, needing urgent care visits, or dying from heart problems in adults with with either:
Heart failure, or
Type 2 diabetes, CKD, and other heart-related risk factors
Unlike other SGLT2 inhibitors, Inpefa is not approved to lower blood glucose for people with diabetes. But you may notice decreases in your blood glucose as a side effect while taking it.
Inpefa has also been studied as a potential treatment for Type 1 diabetes. The FDA hasn’t approved it for this use due to the risk of DKA. However, the medication’s manufacturer is researching ways to manage this risk. They intend to continue pursuing an FDA approval for this health condition.
How to save on Inpefa
There are ways to save on Inpefa, which is only available as a brand-name medication:
Save with a free trial offer. Regardless of your insurance type, you can get your first 30-day supply of Inpefa for $0 with the manufacturer’s free trial offer.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $10 per month for Inpefa using a savings card from the manufacturer.
The bottom line
Since 2013, several sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been FDA approved. Jardiance (empagliflozin), Farxiga (dapagliflozin), and Invokana (canagliflozin) are three of the most well-known SGLT2 inhibitors. Brenzavvy and Bexacat contain the same active ingredient: bexagliflozin. But Brenzavvy is for humans, and Bexacat is for cats.
SGLT2 inhibitors have a variety of approved uses, including Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease. Depending on your health history and insurance coverage, one may be a better fit for you than others.
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References
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