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What is the difference between Inflectra and Remicade?

Medically reviewed by Leigh Ann Anderson, PharmD. Last updated on April 2, 2025.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Key Points

A biosimilar must have no clinically meaningful safety or effectiveness differences from the reference product, but it is not considered identical like a generic product.

Related: What Are Biosimilars? Top Facts You May Not Know

Inflectra, approved in 2016, is manufactured by Celltrion-Pfizer, while Remicade, the reference product, was first approved in 1998 and is made by Janssen. Inflectra was the first biosimilar to Remicade.

How does infliximab work?

Infliximab blocks the protein called tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF alpha). People with certain inflammatory diseases, like psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis, have too much TNF-alpha. This can cause the immune system to attack healthy tissues of the body. Infliximab can help block the damage caused in your body by too much TNF-alpha.

Other infliximab biosimilar brands include:

How do costs compare between Inflectra and Remicade?

Inflectra, as a biosimilar, is slightly less expensive than Remicade. Inflectra costs about $997 per 100 mg vial while Remicade costs about $1,229 for the same amount.

For additional information, see the overview: Comparing Inflectra vs Remicade

References

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What is the mechanism of action of infliximab?

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What is the difference between Renflexis and Remicade?

Renflexis (infliximab-abda) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker that is biosimilar to Remicade (infliximab). A biosimilar has no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety and effectiveness from the reference product.

Renflexis is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion similar to Remicade, and is used for the same conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriatic arthritis. Biosimilars may lead to cost-savings due to a lower price and are preferred by some insurance companies. Continue reading

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