Cost varies a lot by country, insurer, dosing, and whether you get it through a pharmacy or specialty program. In the United States, rough ballparks are:
- Plaque psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (dose is 45 mg): usually 6 injections per year (weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks: 0, 4, 16, 28, 40, 52). If each 45 mg dose costs about $7,000, the list-price range is around $40,000 per year before insurance or rebates.
- Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (dose is 260 mg per dose, given as two 130 mg vials, loading at weeks 0 and 4, then every 8 weeks): about 8 doses per year (0, 4, 12, 20, 28, 36, 44, 52). If each 130 mg vial is roughly $6,000–$7,000, that can be around $100,000+ per year before insurance or discounts.
Important caveats:
- These are list prices (before rebates, patient assistance, or negotiated discounts).
- Your out-of-pocket can be much lower depending on insurance, copays, and eligibility for patient assistance programs from the manufacturer (Janssen) or from manufacturers’ care programs.
- Prices also vary outside the US (different countries have different list prices and reimbursements).
If you’d like, tell me your country, the Stelara indication, and whether you have insurance or a rough dosing schedule, and I can tailor a closer estimate.