Celltrion launches biosimilar of AbbVie's blockbuster drug Humira in US

Celltrion

05/07/2023 12:30

July 5 (Reuters) - South Korea's Celltrion Healthcare
 091990.KQ  has launched a copycat version to AbbVie Inc's
 ABBV.N  Humira at about a 5% discount, adding to the growing
competition for the blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug in the
U.S.
    The biosimilar, Yuflyma, became available for sale in the
U.S. on Sunday, the company said a day later.
    Yuflyma is listed at $6,576.50 per month compared to the
current list price of Humira at $6,922 per carton and is
available in two device types — auto-injector and pre-filled
syringe options.
    Celltrion said it was seeking an interchangeability
designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for
Yuflyma. The decision is likely in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    An interchangeable biosimilar product may be substituted
without the intervention of the health care professional who
prescribed the reference product.
    Celltrion joins drugmakers such as Boehringer Ingelheim,
Sandoz, Organon  OGN.N , Germany's Fresenius  FREG.DE  and
Coherus BioSciences  CHRS.O , which also launched biosimilars
this week.
    While pills have extremely cheap generic versions, complex,
expensive biologics made from living cells cannot be exactly
duplicated. Their closest alternatives are called biosimilars.
    AbbVie has forecast a 37% drop in Humira sales in 2023 due
to competition. Until recently, it was the world's
biggest-selling non-COVID prescription drug, hitting a record
$21.2 billion in sales for 2022.

 (Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi
Majumdar and Arun Koyyur)
 ((Sriparna.Roy@thomsonreuters.com;))