The list price for HULIO is 5% less than the current list price of the rheumatoid arthritis drug and the HULIO is offered at a list price that is almost 85% less than the existing Humira list price
A product image of YUSIMRY. (Credit: GlobeNewswire/ Coherus BioSciences, Inc.)
Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon, has launched its HULIO (adalimumab-fkjp) injection, a biosimilar to Abbvie’s Humira (adalimumab), in the US following five years of experience in Europe and two years in Canada.
The launch expands Biocon’s offering in the immunology segment. It is said to be the fourth biosimilar product of Biocon Biologics in the US.
The company is presenting two options to pharmacy benefit managers and health plans to give patients broad access.
The list price for HULIO is 5% less than the current list price of Humira, a rheumatoid arthritis drug. Additionally, HULIO is offered at a list price that is almost 85% less than the existing Humira list price.
Additionally, HULIO matches the biosimilar approval standards of the FDA. Like Humira, HULIO is produced without natural rubber latex and is free of citrate, which helps to lessen allergic responses.
Biocon Biologics CEO and managing director Shreehas Tambe said: “The launch of HULIO, our biosimilar adalimumab, in the United States is an important milestone for Biocon Biologics as it expands our well-known biosimilar product offering to patients in the US.
“This launch builds on our strong presence in oncology and diabetes and re-affirms our commitment to enabling affordable access to biologics.”
In a separate development, US-based Coherus BioSciences also launched YUSIMRY (adalimumab-aqvh), a biosimilar of Humira, in the US.
The list price of YUSIMRY, $995 per carton for two 40 mg/0.8 mL autoinjectors, represents a discount of more than 85% to Humira, which is currently sold at $6,922 per carton of two pens.
The biosimilar is a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blocker. It is designed to reduce the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
In another similar case, the generic drug unit of Germany’s Fresenius has priced its Idacio, a biosimilar of Humira, at a 5% discount to the rheumatoid arthritis drug’s list price.
Recently, Novartis through its generic and biosimilars unit Sandoz unveiled Hyrimoz (adalimumab-adaz), which is a high-concentration formulation (HCF) biosimilar to Humira.