Biosimilars are gradually making inroads in the outpatient drug market in the U.S., But Stelara-referenced biosimilars appear to be following the convoluted path that Humira-referenced biosimilars took, with payers and pharmacy benefit managers playing critical roles in terms of market or patient access. The cheapest versions are not necessarily favored. getty

If there is one thing that all stakeholders in the prescription drug supply chain can agree on it’s that patients’ out-of-pocket costs for many branded medicines can be prohibitively high. This is particularly true for biologics. When their patents expire, the launch of cheaper biosimilars can lower costs considerably. But the United States market for biosimilars is riddled with barriers that don’t allow it to function optimally.

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