General

Last update: 21 February 2020

In the US, a legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2009, via the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCI Act).

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a dataset of drug approvals dating back to 1985 and an online, searchable version of the Purple Book of licensed biologicals.

In Canada, the province of Ontario has followed Alberta and British Columbia in introducing a policy to switch certain patients to biosimilars.

Adalimumab is a popular and effective antibody treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A recent position statement from the Belgian IBD research group (BIRD) reviews key issues surrounding the use of adalimumab biosimilars, including extrapolation, immunogenicity and switching [1].

A recent position statement from the Belgian inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research group (BIRD) reviews the five biosimilars of adalimumab available in the European Union (EU) [1]. Adalimumab, which has been marketed under the brand name Humira, is a popular antibody treatment for a number of inflammatory conditions.

Experts from the Swiss Society of Gastroenterology have provided a position statement on the use of biosimilars in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The position paper summarizes key regulatory and clinical issues around biosimilars to help improve clinician and patient awareness.

Originator insulin makers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have both announced the introduction of additional reduced cost insulin options for patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified its first biosimilar – trastuzumab – in a move that the organization says, ‘could make this expensive, life-saving treatment more affordable and available to women globally’.

The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) and Crohn’s and Colitis Canada announced on 24 October 2019 that they had issued a joint position statement on the use of biosimilars for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [1].

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a pilot prequalification scheme to certify biosimilar versions of insulin in order to increase supply in low- and middle-income countries.