Mark Cuban tries to shake up biosimilar pricing with a version of J&J’s Stelara

In its latest bid to shake up the prescription drug market, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company has reached a deal to sell a cheap, biosimilar version of Stelara, a widely prescribed treatment for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

The company plans to sell the lower-cost medication for $345 every three months, or $1,380 a year, for a 90-milligram dose, before shipping costs. This is significantly below the list price for the brand-name drug sold by Johnson & Johnson, which can vary depending on patient weight and the specific illness being treated.

The Stelara list price, before any rebates or discounts, is about $29,100 per 90 mg dose, according to a report by Samsung Bioepis, a biosimilar manufacturer. Based on the number of injections needed in the first year, the list price could reach roughly $150,000. There are several other biosimilars with list prices ranging from $15,000 to $60,000.