[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] Samsung Bioepis and Celltrion are planning to enter the biosimilar market for "Humira (component name Adalimumab)," an autoimmune disease treatment worth 24 trillion won.

In particular, it has been listed on the U.S. private insurance list and is stepping up efforts to secure an edge in the prescription competition by receiving reasonable prices in the process of setting drug prices.

Samsung Bioepis will launch its biosimilar 'Hadlima' in the US market on the 1st of next month, and Celltrion will also introduce 'Yuflyma' next month.

AbbVie's Humira, whose patents expire in the U.S. in July, is a blockbuster drug with sales of about $21.237 billion (about 27.6081 trillion won) as of last year. The amount sold in the US market alone is about $ 18.6 billion (about 24 trillion won), which is 87%.

Cumulative sales were $ 219 billion until last year after its launch in 2003, making it the world's No. 1 medicine. It is used for the treatment of rheumatoid/wired arthritis, stiff spondylitis, and Crohn's disease.

Samsung Bioepis and Celltrion are commercialized with a high-concentration formulation that is in high demand. High-concentration formulations have the advantage of reducing drug doses by half of low-concentration.

According to Symphony Health and IQVIA, U.S. pharmaceutical market research firms, about 85% of Adalimumab sold in the U.S. last year accounted for high concentrations.

Samsung Bioepis (product name Hadlima) has been approved for both high and low concentration formulations, while Celltrion (product name Yuflyma) has been approved for high concentration formulations.

Attention is being paid to whether it can be listed on the list of major prescription drug care providers (PBM) in the US Humira biosimilar market.

Unlike Korea, where the government decides the price of medicine, the United States is a private insurance system It turns out that the private sector often decides on drug prices.

PBM consults with pharmaceutical companies on drug prices and rebate levels and manages a list of prescription drugs in pharmacies. In the United States, the Humira PBM market is dominated by three large PBMs: CVS Care Mark, Express Script, and Optum Rx under United Health Group.

If the drug list is successfully listed, it can secure an advantageous position in expanding the market.

 

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