Leqembi

Introduction

Written by Julz Richterman, PharmD, MBA, BCGP
Medically reviewed by Audrey Amos, PharmD
Updated on June 5, 2024

Leqembi is a brand-name medication that’s prescribed for Alzheimer’s disease. Leqembi is not available in a biosimilar version. The cost of Leqembi with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Leqembi for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Read on to learn about Leqembi and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about Leqembi, including its uses, refer to this overview article.

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Cost of Leqembi

Like other medications, the cost of Leqembi can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of Leqembi
• the dose prescribed

To find out how much Leqembi costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may be able to suggest ways to save money on your prescription, including those described in this article. You can also contact the manufacturer of Leqembi to find out about their Patient Support program. To find out what you’d pay using savings coupons, read the “Coupons for Leqembi” section.

Coupons for Leqembi

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of Leqembi. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Available app for coupons

To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.

Insurance and other considerations for Leqembi

Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Prior authorization: If you have prescription drug insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of Leqembi. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for Leqembi. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of Leqembi may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of Leqembi. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.
• Savings accounts: If you’re eligible for a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), you can likely use funds from these accounts to pay for your prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. HSA and FSA plans help people save money by using pretax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as prescription and OTC drugs. To learn more about whether you’re eligible for these savings accounts and how to use them, talk with your insurance provider or employer.

If you have questions about any of these considerations, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.

If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor or pharmacist know. They may suggest online pharmacy options you could use. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Brand names vs. biosimilars

Leqembi is a brand-name biologic medication. (A biologic drug is sourced from living organisms.) Leqembi is not available in a biosimilar version.

How biosimilars and generics compare

A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.)

Biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name medications. Like generics, biosimilars are thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name drug version.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about biosimilar and brand-name medications.

Why costs are different for brand-name biologic drugs vs. biosimilar drugs

Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.

Makers of a biologic drug can patent and sell their drug for up to 12 years. When the patent for a brand-name biologic drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell biosimilar versions.

This competition may help keep the costs of biosimilar medications lower. Also, biosimilar medications are very similar to biologic drugs. So they don’t require the same testing, which may be costly.

If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name biologic drugs and biosimilar drugs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Common questions about Leqembi and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about Leqembi.

Is Leqembi covered by Medicare?

Yes, Leqembi is usually covered by your Medicare Part B plan. This is the part of your insurance that covers doctor visits. Even though Leqembi is covered by Medicare Part B, your insurance will likely only cover part of the cost. So you could owe a certain amount out of pocket.

Talk with your doctor or insurance provider to learn how much Leqembi will cost for you.

What does Leqembi cost without insurance?

Leqembi is expensive without insurance. It’s a brand-name medication. Prescription drug coupons may be able to help lower your cost of Leqembi. See the “Coupons for Leqembi” section for more information.

Talk with your doctor about options to lower your cost of Leqembi.

How does the cost of Leqembi compare to the cost of Aduhelm?

Leqembi and Aduhelm have similar costs without insurance. But your cost may vary depending on your insurance and where you receive the drug. Because they’re both brand-name drugs, your cost may be higher than for other drugs.

Your doctor or insurance provider may prefer one of these drugs over the other. So talk with your doctor about which drug may be best for you and have the lowest cost.

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Purple Book: Database of licensed biological products. https://purplebooksearch.fda.gov
• Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) injection, for intravenous use. (2023). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/761269Orig1s001lbl.pdf

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.