On September 5, Evernorth announced that it was applying its newly implemented policy on adalimumab biosimilars to the 2025 launch of ustekinumab biosimilars as well. Effective in early 2025, patients will be eligible to receive an interchangeable ustekinumab biosimilar without any cost sharing, through its Accredo specialty pharmacy.
Evernorth stated in its press release that the biosimilar, also distributed through its Quallent Pharmaceuticals subsidiary, will be priced at least 80% below that of Stelara®’s present wholesale acquisition cost. This initial announcement sets the highly anticipated ustekinumab market on a path that closely parallels that of today’s adalimumab market.
As with its adalimumab biosimilar strategy, Evernorth will distribute a private-label version of the ustekinumab product through its Quallent Pharmaceuticals subsidiary. “We continue to believe in the power of biosimilars to achieve significant savings for patients and plan sponsors now and into the future. We’re already seeing strong interest in the Humira® biosimilar made available to Accredo patients in June, and now we’re focused on improving affordability and access to another widely used, high-cost treatment for a variety of inflammatory conditions,” said Matt Perlberg, President, President, Pharmacy and Care Delivery,
Evernorth Health Services. Evernorth disclosed that “more than 25% of eligible Accredo patients” are now using its covered interchangeable Humira biosimilar since the policy was implemented on June 1.
Although Evernorth did not specify which product it will use, there is only one interchangeable ustekinumab biosimilar currently designated by the FDA: Amgen’s Wezlana®, which is scheduled to launch in January. We must also consider the possibility that the reference product manufacturer, J&J, will roll out an unbranded version of Stelara, which though technically not a biosimilar, it certainly would be interchangeable with Stelara in a private-label form. The company already produces an unbranded version of its reference infliximab product (reference product, Remicade®), so this would not be a leap in strategy for them.
The announcement by Evernorth certainly reinforces the direction we’re headed for the pharmacy benefit–covered autoimmune biosimilars. Of course, the next question will be choosing partners for CVS Health and OptumRx, and can the other potentially five or six ustekinumab manufacturers find a slice of the pie?
