Celltrion Partners with Costco: Yuflyma Now Available for Uninsured Patients

On Tuesday, Celltrion announced that Costco, the prominent U.S. retailer, has started offering its Humira biosimilar, Yuflyma (adalimumab). Earlier this month, Celltrion finalized the enrollment of the low wholesale acquisition cost (Low WAC) version of Yuflyma into Costco’s Membership Prescription Program (CMPP). This initiative enables uninsured customers to buy Yuflyma at a significantly reduced price through Costco and its partner pharmacies.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 27.1 million Americans were uninsured as of the first quarter of 2024, facing challenges in accessing costly treatments. With this new program, Costco members can acquire Yuflyma at an impressive 85% discount compared to the original price, along with additional savings. Costco boasts over 133 million members globally and operates more than 600 locations across the United States. Celltrion highlighted that including Yuflyma in Costco’s offerings marks an important distribution milestone in the U.S. and will greatly enhance treatment accessibility for uninsured individuals.

Thomas Nusbickel, chief commercial officer of Celltrion U.S., added, "This collaboration with Costco will make Yuflyma more accessible, expanding patients' treatment options and lowering healthcare cost Celltrion is committed to continuing to bring affordable biologics to the U.S. market.”

In January of last year, Celltrion launched a dual pricing strategy in the U.S., introducing a High WAC version of Yuflyma at a 5% discount to the original product and a Low WAC version at an 85% discount this past May. This pricing approach aims to cater to the diverse needs of various stakeholders in the U.S. healthcare landscape. Humira, the original product from which Yuflyma is derived, is projected to generate approximately $14.4 billion (19.74 trillion won) in sales in 2023, with around $12.1 billion (16.59 trillion won) expected from the U.S. market alone.