Disruption in the US adalimumab market

Biosimilares/General | Posted 05/06/2024 post-comment0 Post your comment

In April 2024, Evernorth Health Services in the US announced that a biosimilar of AbbVie’s Humira ( adalimumab) will be available for US$0 out of pocket for eligible patients of its specialty pharmacy, Accredo. This announcement follows the news that prescriptions for adalimumab biosimilars have spiked to 36% after leading pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark removed the branded reference product from its major national commercial formularies in January 2024.

Pay for Delay DrugsMoneyGeneric V13F21

Humira biosimilars first entered the US in January 2023, led by Amgen’s Amjevita [1]. Now, several biosimilars are available. In February 2024, AbbVie still held 96% of the market, however, with actions of Evernorth and CVS, this may start to reduce.

Evernorth’s high- and low-concentration interchangeable biosimilar will be available starting June 2024. It will be produced for Evernorth's affiliate private label pharmaceutical distributor, Quallent Pharmaceuticals, through agreements with multiple manufacturers. It will be available at US$0 out of pocket for most patients through Quallent's copay assistance program. It is estimated that this will save individual patients circa US$3,500 per year.

CVS Caremark took Humira off its major national commercial formularies in favour of biosimilars, and changes took effect in April 2024 [2]. The large spike in biosimilars sales can largely be attributed to the launch of one particular Sandoz’ biosimilar Hyrimoz [3]. Hyrimoz is jointly marketed with Cordavis, a subsidiary that CVS created to sell any number of biosimilar medicines in the US.

Adalimumab is a monoclonal antibody and is a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor used to treat a range of inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The originator, Humira first launched in 2003 and has since evolved in many ways including new concentrations, citrate-free versions, latex-free delivery devices, and smaller needle gauges [4, 5].

Related articles
Coherus retracts AbbVie restraining order in Humira biosimilar dispute 

AbbVie makes more deals delaying adalimumab biosimilars in the US 

LATIN AMERICAN FORUM
The new section of the ‘Latin American Forum’ on GaBI has been launched. The objective of this new section is to provide you with all the latest news and updates on developments of generic and biosimilar medicines in Latin America in Spanish.

View the latest headline article: Guía de la FDA sobre etiquetado promocional y publicidad de productos biológicos, biosimilares e intercambiables

Browse the news in the Latin American Forum!

Register to receive the GaBI Latin American Forum newsletter. Inform colleagues and friends of this new initiative.

FORO LATINOAMERICANO
Se ha lanzado la nueva sección del ‘Foro Latinoamericano’ sobre GaBI. El objetivo de esta nueva sección es brindarle las últimas noticias y actualizaciones sobre desarrollos de medicamentos genéricos y biosimilares en América Latina en español.

Ver el último artículo de cabecera: Guía de la FDA sobre etiquetado promocional y publicidad de productos biológicos, biosimilares e intercambiables

!Explore las noticias en el Foro Latinoamericano!

Regístrese para recibir el boletín informativo GaBI Foro Latinoamericano. Informe a colegas y amigos sobre esta nueva iniciativa. 

 

References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Coherus: lowest price adalimumab biosimilars announced [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2024 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/news/coherus-lowest-price-adalimumab-biosimilars-announced
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. CVS Caremark removes Humira in the US and Sandoz launches Hyrimoz in Europe [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2024 Jun 5]. Available from:
 www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/cvs-caremark-removes-humira-in-the-us-and-sandoz-launches-hyrimoz-in-europe
3. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. CVS’ Cordavis to launch Sandoz’s Hyrimoz (adalimumab) [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2024 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/cvs-cordavis-to-launch-sandoz-s-hyrimoz-adalimumab
4. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Humira (adalimumab) biosimilars pipeline [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2024 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/reports/humira-adalimumab-biosimilars-pipeline

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and non-commercial use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Copyright – Unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are © 2024 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.

comment icon Comments (0)
Post your comment
Most viewed articles
Sobre GaBI
INICIO/Sobre GaBI Posted 06/08/2009
EU guidelines for biosimilars
EMA logo 1 V13C15
INICIO/Directrices Posted 08/10/2010