Aug 26 (Reuters) - Cigna ( CI ) said on Monday it will

remove AbbVie's ( ABBV ) blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug

Humira from some of its lists of preferred drugs for

reimbursement in 2025, and recommend less pricey biosimilar

versions of the medicine instead.

Cigna ( CI ) said Boehringer Ingelheim's Cyltezo, Simlandi from

Teva and Alvotech ( ALVO ), and an unbranded version

of Hyrimoz from Sandoz will be covered on some lists

that are managed by its pharmacy benefits unit Express Scripts.

Express will become the second major U.S. pharmacy benefits

manager to stop recommending coverage of Humira, following

similar action by CVS Health's ( CVS ) Caremark unit in April.

That move led more patients to switch to biosimilar versions of

Humira in three weeks than had in the prior 15 months.

AbbVie ( ABBV ) did not immediately respond to a request for comment,

but has previously said it expects to retain a lower share of

the Humira market next year.

Pharmacy benefit managers, which act as middlemen between

drug companies and consumers and negotiate volume discounts and

fees, have come under increased scrutiny from U.S. agencies and

lawmakers this year for their alleged role in keeping drug

prices high. The companies have said they have a role in

lowering drug costs and that only drugmakers can set the list

prices for their medicines.

Although 10 Humira biosimilars have launched in the U.S.

since January 2023 from drugmakers including Amgen ( AMGN ) and

Pfizer ( PFE ), AbbVie ( ABBV ) has managed to retain most of the market

by negotiating favorable positions on insurance drug coverage

lists managed by these middlemen.

Humira was once the world's biggest selling prescription

medicine with peak sales of $21.2 billion in 2022.

Express Scripts and UnitedHealth Group's Optum Rx -

two of the largest PBMs - chose to keep Humira on their

reimbursement lists for 2023 and 2024.

Cigna ( CI ) in June made Humira biosimilars available with no

out-of-pocket payment to eligible U.S. patients using its

specialty pharmacy, but AbbVie ( ABBV ) lost virtually no market share as

a result.

Optum Rx did not immediately respond to a request for

comment on whether it planned to remove Humira from any

reimbursement lists next year.