Utilization of Adalimumab and Infliximab Biologics and Biosimilars in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Author(s)
Kirti Batra, MBA1, Anuj Gupta, M.Sc.1, Gursimran Singh Basra, MCA1, Phani Veeranki, MPH, DrPH, MD2.
1OPTUM, NOIDA, India, 2OPTUM, Eden Prairie, MN, USA.
1OPTUM, NOIDA, India, 2OPTUM, Eden Prairie, MN, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Since 2016, US FDA has approved ten biosimilars for adalimumab and five for infliximab. Although biosimilars acceptance among payers and providers has increased, considerable gap exists in understanding their utilization compared to reference biologics over time. This analysis seeks to compare the real-world utilization patterns of adalimumab and infliximab originators and biosimilars in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with RA (January 2016 to December 2023) in Optum’s Market Clarity Database. Patients had ≥1 claim for RA diagnosis (index date = earliest claim), and 6-month pre- and post-index continuous enrolment. Patients were followed until disenrollment or the study end. Utilization rates of biologics and biosimilars were calculated per 100,000 person-years (PY) at risk, based on the year of adalimumab or infliximab administration.
RESULTS: Among 553,555 patients diagnosed with RA, 10.3% received adalimumab or infliximab biologics or biosimilars (mean ± SD age: 51.2 ± 12.8 years; 74.0% female; 69.5% White; 37.1% Midwest residents; mean ± SD Charlson Comorbidity Index: 0.9 ± 1.1). Among these, 96.0% received the biologics (n = 54,494) and 4.0% received the biosimilars (n = 2,288). The utilization rate per 100,000 PY of adalimumab biologics increased 6-fold, from 16,061 in 2016 to 93,438 in 2023, whereas it increased 34-fold from 54 to 1,841 for adalimumab biosimilars. The utilization rate per 100,000 PY of infliximab biologics increased 3-fold, from 13,408 in 2016 to 44,341 in 2023, whereas it increased 22-fold from 1,890 to 41,308 for infliximab biosimilars in the same time period.
CONCLUSIONS: The study findings demonstrate growing trend towards the adoption of biosimilars over biologics, likely driven by cost-effectiveness and comparable therapeutic efficacy. This shift in treatment preferences underscores the need for future research to explore the patients and physicians characteristics, as well as patterns in treatment switching.
METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with RA (January 2016 to December 2023) in Optum’s Market Clarity Database. Patients had ≥1 claim for RA diagnosis (index date = earliest claim), and 6-month pre- and post-index continuous enrolment. Patients were followed until disenrollment or the study end. Utilization rates of biologics and biosimilars were calculated per 100,000 person-years (PY) at risk, based on the year of adalimumab or infliximab administration.
RESULTS: Among 553,555 patients diagnosed with RA, 10.3% received adalimumab or infliximab biologics or biosimilars (mean ± SD age: 51.2 ± 12.8 years; 74.0% female; 69.5% White; 37.1% Midwest residents; mean ± SD Charlson Comorbidity Index: 0.9 ± 1.1). Among these, 96.0% received the biologics (n = 54,494) and 4.0% received the biosimilars (n = 2,288). The utilization rate per 100,000 PY of adalimumab biologics increased 6-fold, from 16,061 in 2016 to 93,438 in 2023, whereas it increased 34-fold from 54 to 1,841 for adalimumab biosimilars. The utilization rate per 100,000 PY of infliximab biologics increased 3-fold, from 13,408 in 2016 to 44,341 in 2023, whereas it increased 22-fold from 1,890 to 41,308 for infliximab biosimilars in the same time period.
CONCLUSIONS: The study findings demonstrate growing trend towards the adoption of biosimilars over biologics, likely driven by cost-effectiveness and comparable therapeutic efficacy. This shift in treatment preferences underscores the need for future research to explore the patients and physicians characteristics, as well as patterns in treatment switching.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
EE373
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal), STA: Biologics & Biosimilars