How much does one injection of Ustekinumab cost?

Ustekinumab (trade name Stelara®) is mainly used to treat plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. As a biological agent, it has two modes of administration: initial intravenous infusion, with an inoculation dose of 6 mg/kg; followed by subcutaneous injection for maintenance treatment, usually 250 mg or 90 mg once every 8 weeks.

In the US market, without insurance support, the price of ustekinumab is relatively high. According to data from Drugs.com, the average retail price of 45 mg/0.5 ml subcutaneous injection is around 3,900 US dollars. The 90 mg strength is more expensive, possibly approaching 7,800 dollars for one shot. Converted at the current exchange rate, each subcutaneous injection costs approximately 3–6 RMB.

If using the intravenous infusion dosage form (5 mg/ml, 26 ml), each time the price is also between 1,930–2,270 US dollars. This means that after the first infusion, the total cost of subsequent subcutaneous injections will still remain at tens of thousands of yuan every two months, which puts greater financial pressure on patients with long-term treatment.

It is worth noting that some discount platforms and patient assistance programs in the United States can significantly reduce costs. For example, discounted prices on GoodRx or J&J patient assistance programs can help patients reduce out-of-pocket costs by thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. At the same time, biosimilar drugs have also appeared in the United States and Canada (biosimilar), such as Wezlana, STEQEYMA, etc. Their listing prices are about 15%–85% lower than the original drugs, which can alleviate the high cost burden.

In the Chinese market, ustekinumab was approved at the end of 2017 and was officially commercialized by Janssen (Janssen) in 2019. Although domestic medical insurance does not fully cover it, based on the prices in Hong Kong and Taiwan, a subcutaneous injection of 90 mg is usually a few thousand yuan. There are obvious differences in different regions. Some hospitals can obtain drugs through aid projects or imported drug channels, and the prices may be preferential.

Generally speaking, the cost of ustekinumab injection is generally between several thousand yuan (depending on the dosage and administration method). Although the price is relatively high, it has significant effects in controlling symptoms and improving quality of life, and there are price subsidies and assistance mechanisms in some areas, which can effectively reduce the burden on patients. In the future, as more biosimilar drugs are launched and medical insurance policies are adjusted, their costs are expected to further decrease and their accessibility will be improved. When choosing a treatment plan, patients should comprehensively evaluate efficacy, affordability, and future support policies in order to obtain the best treatment results.

Reference materials:https://www.drugs.com/donanemab.html