Tigecycline

Introduction

Written by Ashley Wong, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Amber R. Watson, PharmD
Updated on January 23, 2024

Tigecycline (tye ge SYE kleen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat certain infections caused by bacteria. The brand-name version of this drug is Tygacil. The drug is given by injection into your vein by a doctor or under the direct supervision of a doctor, usually in a hospital.

Read on to learn about tigecycline and cost. If you’d like more information about tigecycline, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. 

Cost of tigecycline

Like other medications, the cost of tigecycline can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• whether tigecycline is covered by your medical insurance
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of tigecycline

To find out how much tigecycline costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.

Coupons for tigecycline

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of tigecycline. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

But coupons aren’t available for medications like tigecycline that are only given by a healthcare professional.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Available app for coupons

To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.

Insurance and other considerations for tigecycline

The cost of tigecycline is typically billed through your medical insurance rather than a health benefits policy. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of tigecycline, usually in a hospital. In some cases, you may receive tigecycline from a healthcare professional who comes to your home.

The cost of your doses will depend on your medical insurance coverage. If you have questions about this, ask your doctor or contact your medical insurance company.

Generics vs. brand-names

Tigecycline is a generic medication. The brand-name version of this drug is Tygacil.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.) Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

If your doctor has prescribed tigecycline but you’re interested in taking Tygacil, let them know. They may prefer one medication over the other. Also, check whether your insurance plan covers only one version of the drug.

To learn how the cost of tigecycline compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company. 

Common questions about tigecycline and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about tigecycline.

How does the cost of tigecycline compare with the cost of linezolid or colistin?

The cost of prescription antibiotic drugs, such as tigecycline, linezolid, or colistimethate (also called colistin), depends on many factors. These include the form of the drug your doctor prescribes, the setting where you receive the drug, the cost of supplies to administer the drug at home, and your insurance coverage.

All three medications come as injections, typically given in a hospital or clinic setting. In some cases, these injectable forms may be given at your home by a healthcare professional. Linezolid also comes as an oral tablet and liquid suspension (a type of liquid mixture) that you may take at home.

If doses of a drug are given by a healthcare professional, the price of the drug may be billed through your insurance’s medical coverage. Every insurance plan varies in how they provide medical coverage.

If you have more questions about how the cost of tigecycline compares to the cost of linezolid or colistin, talk with your insurance provider or doctor.

Why are costs different for brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?

Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.

Makers of a brand-name drug can sell their drug for up to 20 years. When the patent for a brand-name drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active ingredients as brand-name medications. So they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly.

If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

What to ask about tigecycline

This article provides cost information related to tigecycline. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for tigecycline.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also contact your insurance company.

Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask regarding the cost of your medication:

• Will my insurance cover tigecycline?
• Are there other low cost drugs that could treat my condition?
• What are my options if I can’t afford tigecycline?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Tigecycline injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/dd58e0c3-d8a8-4cf2-96f8-9dd08f309579/spl-doc
• Tygacil (tigecycline) for injection, for intravenous use. (2020). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/021821s049lbl.pdf

Disclaimer: Optum Perks 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.