Adalimumab Biosimilars for Psoriasis: A 2026 India Price Comparison
Adalimumab has a genuinely different story in India compared to most biologics covered in this series – because the world’s very first biosimilar of adalimumab wasn’t launched in Europe or the US. It was launched in India, by an Indian company, years before most other countries had biosimilar access to this drug at all.
What Is Adalimumab and How Does It Work?
Adalimumab, internationally known by the brand name Humira, is a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) — the same broad inflammatory target as etanercept, though adalimumab is a fully human antibody rather than a receptor-fusion protein, and it’s dosed differently. Humira was, for over a decade, the world’s best-selling prescription drug across all therapeutic categories, driven substantially by its use in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
India’s Genuinely Notable Role in Adalimumab’s History
In December 2014, the Indian pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila launched Exemptia, a biosimilar version of adalimumab, priced at roughly one-fifth of Humira’s cost at the time. Zydus described it as the world’s first company to launch any biosimilar of adalimumab — years before Humira biosimilars became available in the United States (which didn’t happen until 2023, after patent protections expired there). This means Indian patients have actually had biosimilar access to this drug, at meaningfully lower cost, for longer than patients in many higher-income countries.
Since Exemptia’s launch, additional adalimumab biosimilars have entered the Indian market, including Adfrar and Cadalimab (also from Zydus), giving Indian dermatologists and patients real choice among locally manufactured, price-competitive options.
Adalimumab Dosing for Psoriasis
The standard labeled dosing schedule for plaque psoriasis is:
- An initial dose of 80 mg at Week 0
- 40 mg one week later (Week 1)
- 40 mg every other week thereafter as maintenance
This gives roughly 26 maintenance injections a year, more frequent than several newer IL-23 inhibitors but well-established and familiar to most Indian dermatologists who have prescribed it for over a decade.
How Well Does Adalimumab Work?
In its pivotal trials, roughly 70% of patients achieved PASI 75 by week 16, a solid response rate, though somewhat lower than the 80-90%+ rates seen with newer IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors covered in our other guides. Its long track record — spanning over 15 years of real-world use across millions of patients globally for multiple conditions — gives it one of the most extensively documented safety profiles of any biologic in this series.
Adalimumab Biosimilar Cost in India
This is genuinely one of the more accessible biologics covered in this series specifically because of India’s early and sustained biosimilar competition. Indian pharmaceutical suppliers have listed 40 mg biosimilar adalimumab pre-filled syringes in a broad range depending on brand, generally well below what an equivalent originator-brand biologic would cost — reflecting the roughly one-fifth-of-originator pricing Zydus targeted when Exemptia first launched. Actual current pricing varies by brand and distributor, so always request a specific written quote from your treating hospital pharmacy. See our full cost comparison guide for how adalimumab biosimilars stack up against other systemic options over a full year of treatment.
Who Is Adalimumab Typically Considered For?
Adalimumab is approved for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and a range of other inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Its extensive local biosimilar availability and long Indian track record make it a practical, well-understood option worth discussing, particularly for patients prioritizing cost predictability and physician familiarity over the newest possible drug on the market.
Side Effects
Common side effects include injection site reactions, upper respiratory infections, and headache. As with etanercept and other TNF inhibitors, screening for latent tuberculosis and other chronic infections before starting is standard, and caution is advised in patients with a history of heart failure or certain neurological conditions.
This article is for general education and does not replace a consultation with a qualified dermatologist. Dosing, candidacy, and monitoring decisions should always be made with your treating doctor.
