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The firm Cadila is launching its biosimilar Exemptia in India for about 1/5 the price tag of Abbot's Humira. Most biosimilars to date are sold at roughly two-thirds the cost of the FDA-approved versions.
According to a report from Reuters, the Indian pharmaceutical firm Cadila Healthcare Ltd. has launched a biosimilar version of adalimumab that will sell for 20% of the cost paid for Abbott's Humira in the United States.
The disappointingly high cost of many biosimilars compared to the already-approved drugs was a frequent topic of discussion at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Boston. Prices of biosimilars to date are said to hover around 70% of the cost of the original drug.
According to a recent study published in Clinical Economics and Outcomes Research, based on Medicaid claims, the annual cost of treatment with Humira is $20,983.
Cadila has launched its biosimilar in India under the name Exemptia. Reportedly the company has scheduled talks with regulators in the US.