Biosimilars

Biosimilars of insulin glargine

Biosimilars/General | Posted 08/04/2016

Last update: 27 November 2020

Insulin glargine is a long-acting basal insulin analogue, given once daily to help control the blood sugar level of those with diabetes. It consists of microcrystals that slowly release insulin, giving a long duration of action of 18 to 26 hours. Insulin glargine is indicated for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in adults, adolescents and children aged two years and above.

European regulatory pathways for biosimilars

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 08/04/2016

The European regulatory pathways for biosimilars were discussed in a review of biosimilars in rheumatology by author José M Serra López-Matencio and colleagues from the Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain*.

IPRF template for summary information for biosimilar reviews

Biosimilars/General | Posted 01/04/2016

The Biosimilars Working Group (BWG) of the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Forum (IPRF) has released a template for Public Assessment Summary Information for Biosimilar (PASIB).

How the biosimilars market is changing

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 01/04/2016

Access to high quality medicine at affordable prices without jeopardizing patients’ health is one of the key challenges in developed countries where rising life expectancy and growing average age puts pressure on national healthcare systems. Biosimilars represent a class of medicinal products that seem to be attractive in tackling this challenge. However, market acceptance of biosimilars in general is still low.

Biologicals: characteristics that make them unique and special

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 01/04/2016

The unique characteristics of biologicals were discussed in a review of biosimilars in rheumatology by author José M Serra López-Matencio and colleagues from the Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain*.

Biocon receives Japanese approval for insulin glargine biosimilar

Biosimilars/News | Posted 01/04/2016

India-based biologicals specialist Biocon announced on 28 March 2016 that it had received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for its insulin glargine biosimilar.

IGBA opposes WHO biological qualifier

Biosimilars/General | Posted 25/03/2016

The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering a proposal to assign Biological Qualifiers (BQs), which are random alphabetic codes, to help standardize the naming of biologicals, including biosimilars [1]. However, not everyone agrees with their proposal.

Biosimilars: a new challenge in the current pharmacology

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 25/03/2016

In a review of biosimilars in rheumatology author José M Serra López-Matencio and colleagues from the Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain discuss issues surrounding biosimilars*.

Epoetin alfa biosimilar effective in treating anaemia

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 25/03/2016

Authors of a post-marketing study of the epoetin alfa biosimilar Retacrit say that the biosimilar is effective and well tolerated in treating chemotherapy-induced anaemia (CIA) [1].

Pharmacovigilance for mAbs

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 18/03/2016

Professor Pierre Michetti, a gastroenterologist at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland in his paper discusses questions related to monoclonal antibody (mAb) biosimilars [1]. One question addressed was that of pharmacovigilance for mAbs.