Medicare plans: Prolia and Xgeva replaced by 2 interchangeable biosimilars

Effective Sept. 1, 2025, Jubbonti® and Wyost® now replace Prolia® and Xgeva®, respectively, as interchangeable biosimilar products for UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and most employer group Medicare Advantage plans.

This is part of our commitment to providing members with access to high-quality medications at the lowest possible cost.

What you need to know

According to the FDA, a biosimilar is a biologic medication that is highly similar to and has no clinically meaningful differences from an existing FDA-approved biologic, called a reference product. A biosimilar may be used for patients who have previously been treated with the reference product (treatment-experienced), as well as in patients who have not previously received the reference product (treatment-naïve).¹ Biosimilars undergo rigorous testing and must meet the same high standards as the original biologic.

An interchangeable biosimilar is a biosimilar that meets additional FDA requirements and allows pharmacists to substitute the biosimilar for the reference product without prescriber intervention (subject to state laws), similar to how generic drugs are routinely substituted for brand name drugs. The interchangeable designation confirms that the biosimilar is expected to have similar safety and effectiveness as the reference product.²

Certain states allow for biosimilar substitution when the biosimilar manufacturer has been granted interchangeable status.³ The patient’s pharmacy can assist in switching them to the biosimilar, as appropriate, without a new prescription. However, in some states, you may need to write a new prescription for one of these biosimilar options to prevent delays in patient access to this medication.

What you need to do

For patients currently on Prolia or Xgeva: 

Pharmacies may substitute with either Jubbonti or Wyost where permissible. You may need to send a new prescription for Jubbonti or Wyost in states where substitution is not allowed.

For new start patients:

Send a prescription for Jubbonti or Wyost to your patient’s pharmacy to avoid delays in therapy.

Why this change matters

• Similar clinical outcomes: Biosimilars offer similar efficacy and safety as the reference product
• More affordable options: Preferred biosimilars help reduce overall health care costs for our members who are your patients
• Supported by the FDA’s rigorous approval standards: Interchangeable biosimilars meet the FDA’s standards for pharmacy-level substitution