Reuters – Swiss drugmaker Sandoz said on Saturday it had launched a biosimilar version of AbbVie’s blockbuster arthritis drug Humira, further intensifying competition for the drug in the United States that began in January.
The Novartis-owned company said it would offer a 5% discount off Humira’s current list price of $6,922 a month for its treatment, Hirimos, and an 81% discount on the unbranded version of Humira.
Medical experts say the pharmaceutical company will likely use Humira to appeal to pharmacy benefits managers, who receive a portion of their fees as part of the discounts they negotiate on behalf of their customers, large employers and health insurance plans. biosimilars will be launched at slightly discounted prices.
A lower-priced version could act as both an insurer and provider, attracting healthcare systems that typically don’t seek aftermarket discounts, such as pharmacy benefits managers.
Biosimilars are developed to function similarly to the original branded biotech drug, but because they are cultured in living cells they are not necessarily exact copies like traditional generic drugs. not.
Competitor Amgen launched its first Humira biosimilar earlier this year, offering 5% and 55% discounts to Humira, depending on the buyer.
Humira, which also treats conditions such as ulcerative colitis and psoriasis, will have at least nine variants available in the U.S. by the end of the year from companies including Pfizer and South Korea’s Celltrion.
(Reporting by Patrick Wingrove, Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
