RIDGEFIELD, CT, USA I May 1, 2024 I Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the high-concentration, citrate-free formulation of Cyltezo® (adalimumab-adbm), the company’s interchangeable* biosimilar to Humira® (adalimumab), to treat multiple chronic inflammatory diseases.

“With this FDA approval, we are now able to offer both high- and low-concentration, citrate-free formulations of Cyltezo, further expanding treatment access for patients living with certain chronic inflammatory diseases,” said Stephen Pagnotta, Executive Director and Biosimilar Commercial Lead at Boehringer Ingelheim. “Many patients are treated with high-concentration adalimumab formulations, and we are excited to add this new option to our approved citrate-free Cyltezo and Adalimumab-adbm offerings.”

The high-concentration formulation (100 mg/mL), which is now available as a pre-filled syringe or pre-filled autoinjector, is priced at a 5% discount to Humira under the brand name Cyltezo® and at an 81% discount to Humira as the unbranded product Adalimumab-adbm. The low-concentration (50 mg/mL), citrate-free formulation of Cyltezo has been commercially available since July 2023.

“The availability of a high-concentration and citrate-free Cyltezo is welcome news for people living with certain chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which affect nearly 1 in 100 Americans,” said Michael Osso, President & CEO of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. “The flexibility of having multiple biosimilar formulations to choose from is important to support broader patient access to biologic medicines.”

“This FDA approval is another step forward for people with chronic and often debilitating diseases such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis,” said Steven Taylor, President & CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. “We stand united with our patients and healthcare providers in the effort to accelerate the adoption of biosimilars, which benefit patients as well as the larger healthcare ecosystem.”

“Biologics and biosimilars are a crucial treatment option for many living with psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis,” said Leah M. Howard, J.D., President and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. “We welcome the introduction of this additional formulation to expand the array of options available to our community.”

The FDA approval is based, in part, on data from clinical trial VOLTAIRE-HCLF, a Phase I clinical trial comparing the bioavailability of high-concentration and low-concentration formulations of adalimumab-adbm.

About Cyltezo
The FDA approved Cyltezo as an interchangeable biosimilar to Humira on October 15, 2021. The efficacy and safety of Cyltezo are supported by a large body of data, including the Phase III randomized VOLTAIRE-X comparative clinical trial, which studied the effects of multiple switches between Humira and Cyltezo compared to continuous treatment with Humira.  To learn more about Cyltezo, please visit Cyltezo.com. Healthcare providers can learn more about Cyltezo at CylezoHCP.com.

*For more information on interchangeability for Cyltezo, please refer to the Purple Book: https://purplebooksearch.fda.gov/.

About Biosimilars
A biosimilar is a biologic medicine that is developed to be highly similar to an approved reference biologic, with no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety, potency and purity.

A biosimilar with an interchangeable designation, which is designated by the FDA, may be auto-substituted for the reference product by a pharmacist. Individual state laws control how and whether providers and patients must be notified. An interchangeable biosimilar first must meet the high FDA standards of a biosimilar. Then, to achieve the interchangeable designation, the FDA requires additional data, which may include a study of multiple substitutions in patients, known as a switching study. The study must show that patients can be switched with no increased risk in terms of safety or diminished efficacy compared with remaining on the reference product in any given patient.

About Boehringer Ingelheim in Biologics and Biosimilars
Through novel biologics and our interchangeable biosimilar, we strive to increase the availability of safe, effective, high-quality therapeutic options to patients worldwide.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the largest producers of biologic medicines in the world, producing biologic medicines to support our diverse pipeline, as well as other companies’ biopharmaceuticals on a contract basis. As a pioneer in biologics, to date, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing business has supported our customers to bring dozens of biologics to the market in therapeutic areas that include oncology, immunology and cardiovascular indications. For more information about Boehringer Ingelheim’s Biopharma and manufacturing capabilities, please click here: https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/biopharma/biosimilars.

For more information, please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide and Instructions for Use.

What is CYLTEZO?

This information also applies to Adalimumab-adbm injection for subcutaneous use.

CYLTEZO is a medicine called a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker. CYLTEZO is used:

  • To reduce the signs and symptoms of:
    • moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. CYLTEZO can be used alone, with methotrexate, or with certain other medicines.
    • moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children 2 years and older. CYLTEZO can be used alone or with methotrexate.
    • psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults. CYLTEZO can be used alone or with certain other medicines.
    • ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adults.
    • moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adults.
  • To treat moderate to severe Crohn’s disease (CD) in adults and children 6 years of age and older.
  • To treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. It is not known if adalimumab products are effective in people who stopped responding to or could not tolerate TNF-blocker medicines.
  • To treat moderate to severe chronic (lasting a long time) plaque psoriasis (Ps) in adults who have the condition in many areas of their body and who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with pills).
  • To treat non-infectious intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis in adults.

For more information, please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide and Instructions for Use.

About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. either owns or uses the Cyltezo® trademark under license. The other trademarks referenced above are owned by third parties not affiliated with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

SOURCE: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals