Evernorth to Offer Private Label Humira Biosimilar

Beginning in June 2024, Evernorth Health Services will offer a Humira (adalimumab) biosimilar available that will be produced by its affiliate private label pharmaceutical distributor, Quallent Pharmaceuticals, through agreements with multiple manufacturers. Evernorth has not named the manufacturers.

The high- and low-concentration interchangeable biosimilar will be available for patients for $0 out of pocket for eligible patients of its specialty pharmacy Accredo. The $0 copay is offered through Quallent's copay assistance program. This program is estimated to save individual patients around $3,500 on average per year, Evernorth officials said in a news release.

The biosimilar price will be about 85% lower than the list price for Humira. 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.

More than 100,000 Accredo patients currently use either Humira or one of its biosimilars.

Evernorth Health, a subsidiary Cigna Group, comprises several businesses, including Express Scripts, Accredo, eviCore and MDLIVE. A company spokesperson said Express Scripts will evaluate the private label biosimilar product and determine whether placement on any of its standard formularies is appropriate

This move to develop a private label of a Humira biosimiar follows CVS Caremark’s similar effort, which the company announced in August 2023. 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.