PBM Private-Label Units Bring Promise of Biosimilar Competition, Scrutiny

At the beginning of next year, the last of the Big Three PBMs will join the others in offering a new private-label subsidiary. Those units, which are largely focused on biosimilars and generics, have the potential to boost biosimilar competition and improve pricing, but such arrangements also are drawing scrutiny, most recently from the Senate Finance Committee.

On Jan. 1, 2025, UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx will place Nuvaila-labeled biosimilars of Stelara (ustekinumab) from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and AbbVie Inc.’s Humira (adalimumab) on various tiers of three of its commercial formularies for a zero-dollar copay. In partnership with Amgen Inc. for its interchangeable Wezlana (ustekinumab-auub), Wezlana for Nuvaila will be available in both high-wholesale acquisition cost and low-WAC versions.