By Patrick Wingrove

(Reuters) – Cigna said on Monday it will remove AbbVie’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira from some of its preferred drug reimbursement lists in 2025 and instead recommend less expensive biosimilar versions of the drug.

Cigna said Boehringer Ingelheim’s Cyltezo, Teva and Alvotech’s Simlandi and an unbranded version of Sandoz’s Hyrimoz would be included in some lists maintained by its pharmacy benefit unit Express Scripts.

Express is the second major US pharmacy service provider to no longer recommend covering Humira. CVS Health’s Caremark division took similar measures in April. This move resulted in more patients switching to biosimilar versions of Humira within three weeks than in the previous 15 months.

AbbVie did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but previously said the company expects a smaller share of the Humira market next year.

Pharmacy benefit managers, which act as intermediaries between drug companies and consumers and negotiate volume discounts and fees, have come under increased scrutiny from U.S. regulators and lawmakers this year for their alleged role in maintaining high drug prices. The companies have said they play a role in driving down drug costs and that only the drug companies can set the list prices for their drugs.

Although ten Humira biosimilars have been launched in the United States by pharmaceutical companies such as Amgen and Pfizer since January 2023, AbbVie has managed to retain most of the market by negotiating favorable spots on the drug coverage lists maintained by these intermediaries.

Humira was once the world’s best-selling prescription drug, with peak sales of $21.2 billion in 2022.

UnitedHealth Group’s Express Scripts and Optum Rx – two of the largest PBMs – have decided to keep Humira on their reimbursement lists for 2023 and 2024.

In June, Cigna made Humira biosimilars available to eligible U.S. patients at no out-of-pocket cost through its specialty pharmacy, but AbbVie lost virtually no market share as a result.

Optum Rx did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the company plans to remove Humira from all reimbursement lists next year.

(Reporting by Patrick Wingrove; Editing by Bill Berkrot)