There is no true generic for Humira, but there are multiple biosimilars now available in the U.S. that work the same way and cost significantly less. As of 2025, nine biosimilars of adalimumab (Humira’s active ingredient) have been approved by the FDA, and seven of them carry an interchangeable designation, meaning your pharmacist can substitute them for Humira just like a generic.
Why Biosimilars Instead of Generics
Traditional generics are copies of simple, chemically synthesized drugs. A generic ibuprofen tablet contains the exact same molecule as the brand-name version, reproduced identically from batch to batch. Humira doesn’t work that way. It’s a biologic, a large, complex protein manufactured using living cells like bacteria or yeast. Because living systems are involved, every batch has tiny, natural variations in the protein’s structure. No manufacturer can produce a perfectly identical copy.
That’s why the FDA created a separate approval pathway for “biosimilars” rather than generics. A biosimilar must demonstrate that it is highly similar to the original biologic with no clinically meaningful differences in safety, purity, or effectiveness. It goes through its own set of clinical studies, though not as extensive as the original drug’s trials. The result is a product that performs the same job in your body but isn’t called a generic because, at the molecular level, it can’t be an exact replica.
Which Biosimilars Are Available Now
All adalimumab biosimilars were blocked from the U.S. market until mid-2023 due to patent settlements between AbbVie and the biosimilar manufacturers. Since then, multiple options have launched. The major biosimilars currently on the market include:
- Amjevita (Amgen), the first to receive FDA approval back in 2016
- Cyltezo (Boehringer Ingelheim), now available in both high-concentration and low-concentration citrate-free formulations
- Hyrimoz (Sandoz)
- Hadlima (Samsung Bioepis)
- Abrilada (Pfizer)
- Hulio (Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics)
- Yuflyma, which received its interchangeable designation in April 2025
Seven of these biosimilars now hold the FDA’s “interchangeable” status. That distinction matters because it allows pharmacists in most states to swap an interchangeable biosimilar for Humira without needing the prescribing doctor to authorize the change, the same way they’d substitute a generic.
How Much They Cost Compared to Humira
Humira’s list price climbed dramatically over the years, rising from about $1,153 in 2013 to $2,784 by 2020, a 141% increase. Biosimilars were expected to bring relief, though the discounts vary widely depending on the product.
Amjevita launched with a dual pricing strategy, offering versions at either 5% or 55% below Humira’s current price. Other biosimilars like Hadlima and Hyrimoz landed at list prices roughly half of what Humira cost back in 2013, before the years of price increases. Your actual out-of-pocket cost depends heavily on your insurance plan’s formulary, any copay assistance programs, and which biosimilar your plan prefers.
What Your Insurance Plan Covers
Major pharmacy benefit managers have already started reshaping their formularies around biosimilars. Express Scripts’ 2024 national preferred formulary, for instance, lists Cyltezo and Hyrimoz as preferred options alongside Humira itself, while excluding several other biosimilars like Amjevita, Hadlima, and Yuflyma. Other plans may have different preferred products. The practical takeaway: your plan likely covers at least one or two adalimumab biosimilars at a lower cost tier, but you may not get to choose which one. Calling your insurer or checking their formulary online is the fastest way to find out which option gives you the best price.
Is Switching Safe
Clinical evidence supports switching from Humira to a biosimilar without losing effectiveness or increasing risk. A phase 3 trial published in The Lancet Rheumatology studied patients with rheumatoid arthritis who switched back and forth multiple times between Humira and a biosimilar. The researchers found no clinically meaningful differences in drug levels, serious side effects, or immune reactions compared to patients who stayed on Humira the entire time. Serious adverse events occurred in 1% of the switching group versus 4% of the non-switching group, and no deaths were reported in either arm.
The study’s conclusion was straightforward: the risk of switching, even multiple times, is not greater than the risk of simply continuing on branded Humira. This is consistent with the broader body of biosimilar research across different conditions.
Citrate-Free and High-Concentration Options
If you currently use Humira’s citrate-free pen or syringe (the formulation that stings less during injection), you’ll want a biosimilar that matches. Cyltezo now offers both high-concentration (100 mg/mL) and low-concentration (50 mg/mL) citrate-free versions, closely matching the most commonly prescribed Humira formulation. Not every biosimilar has this option yet, so if injection comfort matters to you, it’s worth confirming which formulation your biosimilar provides before switching.
How to Talk to Your Doctor About Switching
If you’re currently on Humira and interested in switching to save money, the process is usually simple. For interchangeable biosimilars, your pharmacist can make the switch at the pharmacy counter in most states. For non-interchangeable biosimilars, your doctor would need to write a new prescription. Either way, the clinical experience is nearly identical: same injection schedule, same type of device, same monitoring. The most important variable isn’t which biosimilar you choose but which one your insurance plan covers at the lowest cost to you.