Coherus Reveals New Pricing Strategy for Its Humira Biosimilar

One manufacturer recently revealed that it would launch its biosimilar of AbbVie Inc.’s Humira (adalimumab) at a huge discount not seen before in the U.S. While it almost certainly will be able to get some uptake in a market that’s about to become highly competitive, commercial payers who favor high list price/high rebate therapies are likely to not cover the agent, say industry experts.

On June 1, Coherus BioSciences, Inc. revealed that it would launch Yusimry (adalimumab-aqvh) in July with a list price of $995 per carton — an 85% discount off reference drug Humira’s (adalimumab) $6,922 price tag. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor, first approved Dec. 17, 2021, is a low concentration, citrate-free version of Humira, and it has approval for most of the reference drug’s indications: (1) adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, (2) people at least 2 years old with moderately to severely active juvenile idiopathic arthritis, (3) adults with active psoriatic arthritis, (4) adults with active ankylosing spondylitis, (5) people at least 6 years old with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease, (6) adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, (7) adults with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy and when other systemic therapies are medically less appropriate, and (8) adults with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa.