On January 31, 2023, Amgen introduced a biosimilar for one of the pharmaceutical industry’s most lucrative products. Amjevita became first of nine biosimilar lookalikes scheduled to launch this year to compete with Humira (adalimumab).
To date, Humira has been one of the pharmaceutical industry’s most lucrative products. With nine FDA indications along with 3 off-label uses, worldwide sales topped $21.2 billion in 2022. Millions of people now use this blockbuster injectable for the monthly treatment of conditions that include psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Amgen will price Amjevita at approximately $3,115 wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) for a four-week supply. This comes in roughly 55% lower than Humira’s WAC, which totals $6,923 for same supply duration.
It is important to note that biosimilars require a physician’s order even though they are considered to be equivalent to branded versions of the drug. There is, however, an “interchangeable” version of Humira set to launch in 2023 that may be directly substituted by pharmacists.
Most plans have several members with the above noted diagnoses on Humira. Depending on your pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), rebates, and discounts, Humira may remain the preferred drug for 2023. If your pharmacy benefit includes biosimilars and the PBM allows it as an option, however, Amjevita could offer a significant savings opportunity.
Article written by Ginny Fisher, RN, BSN, CCM, Managed Care Specialist for Summit Reinsurance Services, Inc. For more information about how this may affect your plan, please contact your Summit ReSources care specialist. The following sources were used as reference material for this article: