Boehringer's interchangeable tag for Humira biosim is a 'landmark' win for the field: analyst

Even after many biosimilar players inked patent settlements with Humira maker AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim held out to challenge AbbVie's "patent thicket" in court. Although Boehringer eventually settled, the company's copycat has now scored an "interchangeable" designation—a landmark development that shows it could be a formidable competitor, one analyst writes.

Boehringer on Friday said its drug Cyltezo had scored FDA approval as the first interchangeable Humira biosimilar. Boehringer can't launch until July 1, 2023, under its patent settlement with AbbVie, but when it does, the designation means pharmacists can substitute Cyltezo for Humira at the pharmacy counter.