For years, AbbVie's Humira (adalimumab) stood as the world's best-selling drug, a cornerstone of therapy for a wide range of inflammatory conditions. However, with the arrival of biosimilar competition and the emergence of newer, potentially more targeted therapies, the pharmaceutical landscape has been dramatically redrawn. The answer to 'Is Skyrizi overtaking Humira?' is no longer a question of if, but of when and how completely. The data from late 2024 and early 2025 confirms that Skyrizi has not only overtaken Humira in sales but is now positioned as AbbVie's new flagship immunology product.
The Changing Immunology Landscape and the Humira Patent Cliff
The market transition is a direct result of the patent expiration for Humira, which opened the door for biosimilar versions to enter the U.S. market starting in early 2023. As the first biosimilars became available, Humira's sales began to erode. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like CVS and Optum started removing branded Humira from their formularies, further accelerating the decline. While many branded Humira prescriptions persisted, the market share for biosimilars grew steadily through 2024 and into 2025.
To manage this inevitable sales decline, AbbVie executed a strategic maneuver often termed "product hopping". This involved actively shifting its immunology portfolio's focus and marketing efforts toward its newer, on-patent assets, Skyrizi (risankizumab) and Rinvoq (upadacitinib). This strategy proved highly effective, with Skyrizi sales skyrocketing as Humira's plummeted. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Skyrizi sales reached $3.78 billion, significantly surpassing Humira's $1.68 billion in the same period. For the full year 2024, Skyrizi recorded $11.7 billion in sales, while Humira's dropped to $9 billion. AbbVie's own projections forecast Skyrizi sales to climb to $20 billion annually by 2027, solidifying its new leadership position.
Skyrizi vs. Humira: A Pharmacological and Clinical Comparison
Beyond market strategy, the difference in how these two drugs work plays a critical role in their respective clinical profiles and appeal to physicians and patients. Skyrizi and Humira operate on different immune pathways, representing the evolution of targeted therapy in inflammatory diseases.
Mechanism of Action
- Humira (adalimumab): As a TNF-alpha inhibitor, Humira blocks the protein tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), a broad-spectrum inflammatory cytokine. By blocking TNFα, it reduces inflammation across a wide range of conditions.
- Skyrizi (risankizumab): This drug is more specific, acting as an interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor. IL-23 is a cytokine that drives the inflammatory process in several autoimmune conditions, but is more targeted than TNFα. This specificity may contribute to different efficacy and safety profiles.
Approved Indications and Dosing
Humira has a broader spectrum of approved indications, treating numerous conditions in both adults and children. Skyrizi's approved uses are more focused on specific inflammatory diseases and are currently restricted to adults.
| Feature | Skyrizi (risankizumab) | Humira (adalimumab) |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism of Action | Interleukin-23 (IL-23) Inhibitor | Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα) Inhibitor |
| Primary Indications | Plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis (adults only) | Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis, hidradenitis suppurativa (adults & children) |
| Dosing Frequency | Less frequent (e.g., quarterly after initial doses for some conditions) | More frequent (e.g., typically every other week) |
| Biosimilar Status | Brand name only, on-patent | Multiple biosimilars available in the market |
| Market Position (2025) | The new top-selling immunology drug for AbbVie | Declining sales due to biosimilar competition |
Why the Market Shift Matters for Patients and the Industry
The displacement of Humira by Skyrizi has significant ramifications for both the pharmaceutical industry and the patients who rely on these treatments.
- Patient Choices: For individuals with conditions like psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, this shift offers new options. Skyrizi's targeted mechanism and less frequent dosing can be appealing, but they must weigh this against Humira's long track record and established use, now with the availability of more affordable biosimilars. Navigating insurance formularies, which may prioritize biosimilars, becomes a key consideration.
- Drug Development Strategy: AbbVie's successful pivot showcases a major pharmaceutical company's ability to transition from a legacy blockbuster to newer assets, effectively managing the threat of generic competition. This strategy is likely to influence other companies facing patent expirations.
- Biosimilar Market Evolution: The market shift highlights the challenges faced by biosimilars. Despite their lower cost, a strong marketing push for a differentiated, branded therapy can successfully redirect market share and hinder robust price competition. This suggests that patient and physician preference for newer biologics can sometimes outweigh cost considerations.
Conclusion: The New Leader of the Immunology Market
The verdict is in: Skyrizi has decisively overtaken Humira as the leading medication in AbbVie's immunology portfolio. This shift, driven by Humira's patent expiration and the subsequent flood of biosimilar competition, was expertly managed by AbbVie through a strategic transition to its newer assets. While Humira's long-standing legacy and broader indications remain relevant, Skyrizi's specific mechanism and less frequent dosing schedule have made it a compelling successor. Looking ahead, the focus will be on Skyrizi's continued growth and how the market for inflammatory disease treatments continues to evolve with emerging therapies. According to a report by Fierce Pharma, this transition was predicted to be successful for AbbVie.
Key factors contributing to the market shift:
- The Humira Patent Cliff: Entry of numerous, lower-cost adalimumab biosimilars, starting in 2023, directly eroded Humira's market exclusivity and sales.
- Strategic "Product Hopping": AbbVie effectively transitioned patient and physician demand to its newer, on-patent biologics, Skyrizi and Rinvoq.
- Skyrizi's Clinical Profile: Skyrizi's specific IL-23 inhibition offers a targeted mechanism of action, and its less frequent dosing can be a significant convenience for patients.
- Broader Indications for Skyrizi: Expanded approvals for Skyrizi to include conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have broadened its market and usage.
- PBM Exclusions: Pharmacy benefit managers removed branded Humira from their formularies in favor of biosimilars, pushing some patients towards newer branded drugs.
Conclusion: The New Leader of the Immunology Market
The verdict is in: Skyrizi has decisively overtaken Humira as the leading medication in AbbVie's immunology portfolio. This shift, driven by Humira's patent expiration and the subsequent flood of biosimilar competition, was expertly managed by AbbVie through a strategic transition to its newer assets. While Humira's long-standing legacy and broader indications remain relevant, Skyrizi's specific mechanism and less frequent dosing schedule have made it a compelling successor. Looking ahead, the focus will be on Skyrizi's continued growth and how the market for inflammatory disease treatments continues to evolve with emerging therapies. This transition was reported by Fierce Pharma to be successful for AbbVie.
