Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside of North America) acknowledged the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for embracing biosimilar medicines as a means of increasing biologic medicine options for veterans.
Merck’s biosimilar, Renflexis, was determined to be the lowest price Remicade (infliximab) product offered, and was awarded a national contract with the VA to be available on its National Formulary.
Renflexis comes in at $752.39 (€649.52) which is 35% less than the list price of Remicade.
With this contract, Renflexis will be on the VA National Formulary, making it mandated that the biosimilar be made available for prescription at any VA facilities.
A spokesperson from Merck told us, “The Federal National Contract will allow a number of patients access to Renflexis as a potential treatment option.”
He further said, “The VA’s adoption of biosimilar medicines as a means of increasing biologic medicine options for veterans recognizes the value biosimilars can bring to the health care system.”
Renflexis is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, plaque psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis.
