Lantus SoloStar Insulin Vanishes from Yekaterinburg Pharmacies

Readers of E1.RU have complained that Lantus SoloStar, a long-acting insulin, has disappeared from pharmacies in Yekaterinburg. This is a life-saving drug for patients with diabetes mellitus and a familiar medication for many people.

We checked the websites of the largest pharmacy chains in Yekaterinburg — the drug is out of stock. Across the entire Sverdlovsk Oblast, this insulin is only available in two pharmacies in Tugulym. Searching for the drug on pharmacy websites in other cities of the country reveals the same picture — the drug is «out of stock», «temporarily unavailable», or «not on sale». Lantus SoloStar insulin is found in isolated pharmacies across Russia.

In this article, a pharmaceutical market expert explains why Lantus SoloStar has almost disappeared from pharmacies and what can replace it, while an endocrinologist describes how patients are transitioning from imported insulin to Russian-made versions.

Lantus SoloStar is a modern long-acting analog of human insulin containing the active ingredient insulin glargine (100 IU/mL). The drug provides stable blood sugar control for 24 hours with a single subcutaneous injection, helping to mimic basal insulin secretion.
Insulin glargine is an analog of human insulin.

Where has the insulin gone and what can replace it?

Nikolay Bespalov, a pharmaceutical market expert and development director at RNC Pharma, told E1.RU that there have been no global issues with Lantus SoloStar shipments in 2025.

«Last year, Sanofi supplied 134,000 packs of the drug to the Russian market — 89% more than in 2024, and that is one of the highest figures in the past four years. But the fact is that Sanofi has been systematically transitioning patients to another insulin glargine drug — Toujeo SoloStar — for about ten years. It contains the same active ingredient but in a higher dosage (300 IU vs. 100 IU for Lantus), and the effect is extended to 36 hours instead of 24», noted Nikolay Bespalov.

According to the expert, the shift to the new form of the drug is explained not only by therapeutic advantages (longer duration of action) but also by economic reasons.

«Lantus lost its patent protection, after which analogs appeared from Russian and foreign manufacturers, while Toujeo remains protected by a patent. Currently, besides Lantus, four insulin glargine drugs from domestic companies are available on the Russian market — Geropharm, Medsyntez, Farmasintez, and Farmstandart», explained the pharmaceutical market expert.

Patent protection for a drug is a legal mechanism that grants the developer (pharmaceutical company) the exclusive right to manufacture, sell, and use the drug, confirmed by the state. It guarantees protection from copying by competitors (generic production) for a set period, usually 20 years, thereby stimulating scientific innovation.

Nikolay Bespalov told E1.RU that the total volume of insulin glargine drugs in the 100 IU dosage (including Lantus) received by the Russian healthcare system in 2025 amounts to 714,800 packs. That is 27% more than in 2024. In other words, drugs with the same active ingredient as Lantus SoloStar are available in Russian pharmacies, including in Yekaterinburg. Only the manufacturer has changed.

«Russian analogs have been used since 2019, and a vast amount of experience has been accumulated. But, of course, [when switching drugs] it is necessary to monitor glycemia — for any patient with diabetes, that is a mandatory aspect of therapy», explained Nikolay Bespalov.

Glycemia is a scientific term meaning the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, a crucial indicator of carbohydrate metabolism.

Important advice from an endocrinologist

Endocrinologist Natalya Sevastyanova from the Mira medical clinic confirmed that many imported drugs are disappearing from circulation, and specialists are transitioning patients to Russian analogs.

«In particular, we are also transferring patients from Lantus, and on the whole, it suits us: in my practice, [alternative] drugs are well tolerated by patients and produce a good effect. Russian glargine is a complete structural analog of Lantus», said the doctor.

However, she warned that selecting insulin is a complex process. Even when replacing one imported drug with another, the effect may be insufficient due to differences between manufacturers. The same applies to switching from imported insulin to Russian insulin: the drugs may have an identical molecule, but the therapeutic effect can be completely different.

«A different drug should only be selected together with an endocrinologist. It might be a completely different insulin, not Lantus. The main goal is compensation of diabetes mellitus», emphasized Natalya Sevastyanova.

The Ministry of Health of Sverdlovsk Oblast told E1.RU that the drug with the active ingredient insulin glargine is dispensed at subsidized pharmacies to diabetes patients who have the necessary prescription from a doctor.

«The drug with the international nonproprietary name «insulin glargine» is registered under the trade names: Rosinsulin Glargine, Insulin Glargine, Insulin Ringlar, Lantus SoloStar, and others. The drug Rosinsulin Glargine has been purchased by the Ministry of Health of Sverdlovsk Oblast and is available for subsidized provision to citizens. Pharmacies and the warehouse have a five-month supply. Regarding the availability of the drug Lantus SoloStar in retail sale — information is being clarified with the manufacturer, Sanofi Vostok JSC», said the regional Ministry of Health.

Recently, residents of Sverdlovsk Oblast complained about the absence of the drug Forxiga in subsidized pharmacies. It is prescribed to patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. If you still cannot get it, report it to the E1.RU editorial office.

In December last year, patients already reported a shortage of the diabetes drug Forxiga, but authorities denied it at the time. In January this year, huge queues formed at subsidized pharmacies in Yekaterinburg, for example at the pharmacy on Repina, 107, and at the pharmacy on Akademika Bardina Street, 34. Health Minister Tatyana Savinova explained why the queues appeared.