RxPreferred to offer Humira biosimilar through Mark Cuban's online pharmacy

Pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) RxPreferred has announced plans to offer the Humira biosimilar Yusimry through Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs – an online pharmacy launched by celebrity investor and company namesake Mark Cuban in 2022.

Starting from July 2023, RxPreferred plans and members will gain access to YUSIMRY for $569.27, plus dispensing and shipping fees. According to the PBA, this price represents a 92% discount from the list price of Humira – $6,922.62 for a 4-week supply as of January 2023 –offering a game-changing solution for patients who previously struggled to afford this critical medication.

Despite being the most widely used drug in the US, Humira, known for its effectiveness in treating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, has long been plagued by criticism of its high price tag, which RxPreferred says is an obstacle for many patients and their health plans. As such, the company notes that the move to introduce Coherus BioSciences's Yusimry will improve access to medication for patients that previously could not afford Humira.

"For the last 12 years, RxPreferred has been a catalyst for healthcare transparency, and with strong partnerships, we are constantly evolving to maximise value and lower costs for our plans and members," said Jeff Malone, CEO of RxPreferred. "This development with Cost Plus Drugs is about more than one medication; it represents a shift in healthcare, prioritising patients and bringing to light many of the misaligned incentives that have negatively impacted our healthcare system for years."

Yusimry, which gained FDA approval in 2021, is a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blocker to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, and to treat Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa.

RxPreferred is the second PBM to offer Yusimry. Last month, SmithRx, another PBM, announced that it would offer Yusimry through Mark Cuban's online mail-order pharmacy for $569.27 plus dispensing and shipping fees. SmithRx members will also be able to apply their insurance benefits to lower the price of the drug.

"Cost Plus Drugs is saving patients hundreds and thousands of dollars a month by pricing our medications fairly at our cost plus 15%," said Mark Cuban, Co-Founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, said in a press release for the SmithRx announcement. "Adding YUSIMRY, a biosimilar of Humira, to Cost Plus Drugs will extend these savings to biologics. This is just our first step in making biologics affordable for patients."

The availability of Yusimry at a lower price through RxPreferred and SmithRx is certainly a step for patients, and according to RxPreferred, represents "the next iteration of strategic innovation it provides customers as part of an ever-evolving environment with the goals of sustainable prescription drug spend, improved member access, and transparency for employers and their members".