Patient Affordability Program for Adalimumab Biosimilar Is Launched at GoodRx

Boehringer Ingelheim and GoodRx have teamed up to initiate a patient affordability program for the citrate-free formulation of adalimumab-adbm (Boehringer Ingelheim), a biosimilar to adalimumab (Humira; AbbVie).¹

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"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," Chris Marsh, senior vice president of value and access at Boehringer Ingelheim, said in a news release. "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."¹

The FDA approved adalimumab-adbm in the autoinjector form in May 2023 as an interchangeable biosimilar to Humira. Indications include rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurative. The biosimilar was initially approved as a pre-filled syringe in 40 mg/0.8mL dosages and available in 2-, 4-, and 6-packs.²

As of July 18, 2024, the companies offered prices for both high-concentration and low-concentration citrate-free formulations of the biosimilar in a 2-pack at $550, which is approximately a 92% discount for the list price of Humira, according to a news release. Any patient with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status, can use GoodRx to obtain this discount at over 70,000 retail pharmacies nationwide.¹

In an article on Pharmacy Times, biosimilars can help reduce the cost of drugs by creating more competition for medication. As of March 22, 2024, there were a total of 49 biosimilars approved by the FDA, according to The Center for Biosimilars. Availability of biosimilars is seen as critical, with biosimilars on the market averaging 50% less than the reference product.^3,4

However, implementation of biosimilars has been limited, including major barriers in prescribing, payor reimbursement, and patient perception. Due to interchangeability, a designation assigned by the FDA, prescribers have expressed discomfort in prescribing biosimilars without the interchangeability designation, which is a regulatory designation, not a designation on comparability of biosimilars. Patients may also express discomfort in biosimilars due to a lack of knowledge or understanding of what biosimilars are.³

In a session at the 2024 Advanced Topics for Oncology Pharmacy Professionals Summit, Andre Harvin, PharmD, MS, MBA, chief pharmacy officer of Cone Health, highlighted the European Union’s market for biosimilar adoption. As of June 29, 2024, the FDA had 79 competitors in the biosimilar space, compared to 38 competitors currently in the US. Harvin stated that the US is substantially behind, particularly with biosimilars in the cancer space, which can be even more costly for patients.⁴

Pharmacists are in a unique role when it comes to education on the implementation of biosimilars. Pharmacists are an accessible health care professional and can counsel patients on the differences between original biologic products and biosimilars.³

References

1. Boehringer Ingelheim and GoodRx announce exclusive patient affordability initiative for Adalimumab-adbm injection, Boehringer's biosimilar to Humira. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. July 18, 2024. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-and-goodrx-announce-exclusive-patient-affordability-initiative-for-adalimumab-adbm-injection-boehringers-biosimilar-to-humira-302199865.html

2. Gallagher A. FDA Approves Biosimilar Adalimumab-adbm in Autoinjector Form. Pharmacy Times. May 23, 2023. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/fda-approves-biosimilar-adalimumab-adbm-in-autoinjector-form

3. Bookwalter C. The Evolution of Biologics and Biosimilars: Reducing Costs and Improving Accessibility Through Pharmacist Engagement. Pharmacy Times. May 20, 2024. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/the-evolution-of-biologics-and-biosimilars-reducing-costs-and-improving-accessibility-through-pharmacist-engagement

4. The Center for Biosimilars. Biosimilar Approvals: United States. Updated March 22, 2024. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/biosimilar-approvals

5. Hippensteele A. EU Leads in Biosimilar Market Access While US Lags Behind, Faces Challenges in Adoption. Pharmacy Times. June 29, 2024. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/eu-leads-in-biosimilar-market-access-while-us-lags-behind-faces-challenges-in-adoption