Sandoz launches rival version of AbbVie's arthritis drug Humira

Celltrion

01/07/2023 05:15

July 1 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Sandoz said on
Saturday it had launched a biosimilar version of AbbVie Inc's
 ABBV.N  big selling arthritis treatment Humira, adding to U.S.
competition for the drug that started in January. 
    The Novartis  NOVN.S -owned company said its drug, Hyrimoz,
will be priced at a 5% discount off Humira’s current list price
of $6,922 per month, but that it was also offering an unbranded
version of Humira at an 81% discount.
    Healthcare experts have said that drugmakers will probably
launch their Humira biosimilars with small discounts to appeal
to pharmacy benefit managers, which take some of their fees as a
percentage of the discounts they negotiate on behalf of their
customers - large employers and health insurance plans.
    The lower-priced version may attract healthcare systems that
act as both an insurer and a provider and typically do not seek
after-market discounts, as pharmacy benefit managers do.
    Biosimilars are developed to work like an original, branded
biotech drug, but are not necessarily exact copies, like
traditional generic medicines, because they are cultivated in
living cells.
    Rival Amgen Inc  AMGN.O  was the first to launch a
biosimilar of Humira earlier this year, which debuted at a 5%
and 55% discount to Humira, depending on who was purchasing.
    At least nine copies of Humira, which also treats conditions
like ulcerative colitis and psoriasis, from companies including
Pfizer Inc  PFE.N  and South Korea's Celltrion  068270.KS  are
expected to be available in the United States by the end of the
year.

 (Reporting by Patrick Wingrove; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
 ((Patrick.Wingrove@thomsonreuters.com;))