CVS Caremark to Remove Branded Humira from Formularies

Effective April 1, 2024, CVS Caremark will remove Humira (adalimumab) from its national commercial template formularies. Instead, the PBM says it will include Humira biosimilars.

Humira is used to treat several immune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, uveitis, and hidradenitis suppurative. It has a price of $7,299 according to Drugs.com, up from $6,922 last year.

CVS Caremark’s move is related to the company’s launch of Cordavis in August 2023, which is working directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to co-produce biosimilar products. CVS Caremark has announced that AbbVie, the manufacturer of Humira, has entered into an agreement to supply Cordavis with a committed volume of co-branded Humira. The Cordavis Humira product will be available in the second quarter.

Cordavis has also contracted with Sandoz to commercialize and bring to market Hyrimoz in the first quarter of 2024 under a Cordavis private label. As Antonio Ciaccia, president of 3 Axis Advisors, told Formulary Watch, the wholesale acquisition cost of CVS’ product is more than double the price that Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Company was able to get for Yusimry, another Humira biosimilar.

“But they’re not being transparent about their pricing and are likely are going to use formulary status to direct patients to their more expensive product offering over cheaper products in the market,” he said.

In a press release, CVS Caremark said Humira will continue to be an option for its customers with Choice and Standard Opt Out commercial formularies.

A company spokesperson indicated that CVS Caremark will also include Hadlima and adalimumab-fkjp (Biocon-produced unbranded Hulio) on select template formularies. 

Related: CVS Caremark Switches Up Biosimilar Coverage in 2024

A Formulary Watch review of CVS Health’s Performance Drug List-Standard Control for January 2024 found that CVS had removed Amgen’s Amjevita, the first-to-launch Humira biosimilar. Amjevita became available in January 2023 and launched with two different price points: 5% below Humira and 55% below Humira.

When Amjevita launched last year, CVS Caremark had indicated that it would place the biosimilar on a non-preferred brand tier on its commercial template formularies. Beginning in January 2024, however, CVS Caremark will prefer instead Sandoz’s Hyrimoz and its unbranded adalimumab-adaz.