Adalimumab-ADBM( Boehringer)

Boehringer Ingelheim is a key player in the Humira biosimilars market. Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images. Boehringer Ingelheim will sell an unbranded version AbbVie’s reference drug at a 92% discount to gain traction in the Humira (adalimumab) biosimilar market. Patients will be able to purchase adalimumab-adbm exclusively through GoodRx, an online telemedicine company that works with pharma manufacturers to offer prescription drugs at reduced prices. Effective immediately, the price for a two-pack pre-filled syringe or autoinjector has been set at $550, representing a 92% discount on Humira’s list price, Boehringer Ingelheim and GoodRx said in a joint 18 July press release. AbbVie’s Humira lost patent protection last year, paving the way for a market proliferation of biosimilars. Biosimilars are drugs that are similar to US Food and Drug Administration-approved biologics. AbbVie’s anti-inflammatory blockbuster generated sales of $21.2bn in its last year of market exclusivity. Sales are expected to weaken, with an analysis by GlobalData predicting a revenue slump to $2.6bn by 2030. Humira previously cost $7,000 for a four-week supply at the list price. See Also: Exscientia acquires oral CDK7 inhibitor for $20m, plans breast cancer trial Gene therapy: How the CRO of Veristat cut trial database costs by 30% Humira’s weakening performance was captured when healthcare giant CVS Health dropped the medication from its list of covered drugs. CVS instead opted to launch a new subsidiary called Cordavis tasked with creating biosimilars. The company previously reported that the biosimilar market in the US is expected to top $100bn in revenues by 2029. Since Humira’s patents expired, 11 competitors have come to market with copycat drugs. Boehringer Ingelheim joined the arena last July with a branded version named Cyltezo – priced 5% lower than Humira. The company’s unbranded version, launched later, provided an 81% markdown on Humira. This price split strategy—launching branded and unbranded versions—was shared by Amgen and Biocon with their own Humira biosimilars Amjevita and Hulio. However, Boehringer Ingelheim had an underwhelming rollout with Cyltezo, with uptake slower than expected. The company even had to lay off employees earlier this year as a result. The GoodRx team-up is the latest effort by Boehringer Ingelheim to gain a share in the Humira biosimilar market. Boehringer Ingelheim’s value and access senior vice president Chris Marsh said: “Patients with certain chronic inflammatory diseases who do not have insurance or are underinsured may not be able to afford essential biologic medicines, including biosimilars, to treat their disease.” “Partnering with GoodRx to offer our biosimilar adalimumab-adbm at a low price to these patients helps us deliver on our commitment to lowering financial barriers and improving access to critical treatments.” AbbVie meanwhile has pinned hopes on its autoimmune drugs Skyrizi (risankizumab) and Rinvoq (upadacitinib) to counteract revenue losses from Humira. GlobalData analysts say that AbbVie’s two-pronged approach with these next-generation drugs means it has rebuffed much of its potential autoimmune sector marginalisation. For competitors on the other hand, it was a “missed opportunity”.

Multiple major pharmacy benefit managers have also rolled out programs to make it easier for people to access biosimilars for Humira. GoodRx is joining forces with drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim to make its Humira biosimilar adalimumab available at an affordable price. The pharmaceutical company will offer citrate-free adalimumab-adbm at a cash price available only on GoodRx, according to an announcement. This will allow anyone with a prescription to obtain the drug at one of 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, even if they're uninsured. Beginning on July 18, Boehringer and GoodRx will offer high-concentration and low-concentration formulas of the drug in auto-injectors or pre-filled syringes at a price of $550 per two pack. The companies said that this is a 92% discount compared to a Humira prescription. "For over a decade, GoodRx has been working to help reduce the costs of medications for patients, and we recognize the critical need for ensuring biosimilars are affordable to all," said Dorothy Gemmell, Chief Commercial Officer at GoodRx, in the press release. "We're excited to leverage the reach and scale of the GoodRx platform to help address this access gap and make Adalimumab-adbm more accessible to patients." Adalimumab-adbm is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for interchangeable use with Humira. Biosimilar products like this are viewed as critical tools to drive down the cost of prominent, pricey branded pharmaceuticals, with Humira specifically seen as a golden goose for biosimilar competition. However, uptake has been notably slow. Multiple major pharmacy benefit managers have also rolled out programs to make it easier for people to access these products. "Patients with certain chronic inflammatory diseases who do not have insurance or are underinsured may not be able to afford essential biologic medicines, including biosimilars, to treat their disease," said Chris Marsh, senior vice president of value and access at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Partnering with GoodRx to offer our biosimilar Adalimumab-adbm at a low price to these patients helps us deliver on our commitment to lowering financial barriers and improving access to critical treatments."