Pfizer’s Biosimilar Debuting in November, Less Expensive Than Remicade
Pfizer recently announced that its biosimilar copy of Remicade (infliximab; Janssen), Inflectra, is expected to be on pharmacy shelves by November and will list for a price 15% less than Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) biologic, according to a press release.
“Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of many life-threatening and chronic diseases. By introducing [INFLECTRA] to the U.S. marketplace, Pfizer is helping customers access an additional high quality treatment option that promises greater savings for the healthcare system,” Diem Nguyen, PhD, regional president at Pfizer Essential Health Business, said in a press release. “We are proud of our global leadership in biosimilars, and will continue our efforts to advance a sustainable, competitive marketplace for these therapies to deliver a high quality, consistent supply of product and long-term savings and value for patients and physicians.”
According to recent reports, J&J’s Remicade was its top-selling drug of the last quarter, accounting for $1.2 billion in US sales alone. For patients who are prescribed Remicade, treatment costs can total roughly $28,945 per year before rebates. A single dose can cost patients between $1300 and $2500 without insurance. Pfizer does not consider discounts to health plans, distributors or other purchasing organizations in their pricing.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RELATED CONTENT
HHS Plans to Automatically Enroll Some Americans Into Comparable ACA Plans
CMS Announces Pilot Program to Reduce Medical Record Reviews
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Analysts estimate that Pfizer’s biosimilar copy could reduce Remicade sales by $1 billion in 2017.
According to Joaquin Duato, worldwide chairman of pharmaceuticals at J&J, the company has detailed new uses for existing medications and drug launches through 2019, offsetting any sale losses and providing new revenue growth.
J&J expect to perform slight better than expected in the third quarter despite Pfizer’s biosimilar pricing announcement, according to reports. —Julie Mazurkiewicz
Reference:
