Biosimilars

Prescribing similar biotherapeutic products in Latin America

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 29/01/2016

Prescribing practices vary across different countries in Latin America and reveal gaps in understanding and in the use of distinguishable names for biologicals [1].

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – December 2015

Biosimilars/General | Posted 29/01/2016

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the European Union (EU). A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

Partnerships driving similar biologics development in India

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 29/01/2016

With biosimilars grabbing an increasing share of the global biologicals market and with India providing a cheaper place to carry out research and development, more international players are partnering with Indian companies.

Filgrastim follow-on biological approved in Brazil

Biosimilars/News | Posted 29/01/2016

Brazil’s medicines agency, the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, ANVISA), announced on 20 October 2015 that it had approved the follow-on biological medicine Fiprima (filgrastim).

What happened in biosimilars during 2015

Biosimilars/General | Posted 22/01/2016

The past year has once again been a busy one for the biosimilars industry [1]. The most important milestone achieved during 2015 was the landmark decision made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 6 March 2015 to approve Sandoz’s filgrastim biosimilar, Zarxio (filgrastim-sndz), for all five indications of the originator product (Neupogen). FDA is also reviewing applications for epoetin alfa, infliximab, etanercept filgrastim and pegfilgrastim biosimilars.

Domestic biologicals cost less in India

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 22/01/2016

One of the factors increasing the use of similar biologics in India is the fact that domestic biologicals cost much less than the originator brand-name biologicals [1].

Bevacizumab non-originator biological approved in Russia

Biosimilars/News | Posted 22/01/2016

Russian biotechnology company Biocad announced on 30 November 2015 that the Russian Ministry of Health had approved the company’s bevacizumab non-originator biological drug, BCD-021. The drug is a non-originator biological of Roche’s cancer blockbuster Avastin (bevacizumab).

Barriers to biologicals competition

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 15/01/2016

As finding breakthrough small-molecule drugs becomes more difficult, drug companies are increasingly turning to ‘large molecule’ biologicals. Although biologicals represent many of the most promising new therapies for previously intractable diseases, they are extremely expensive. Moreover, the pathway for generic-type competition set up by the US Congress in 2010 is unlikely to yield significant cost savings.

EMA accepts application for etanercept biosimilar

Biosimilars/News | Posted 15/01/2016

Sandoz, the generics division of Novartis, announced on 8 December 2015 that the regulatory submission for its proposed etanercept biosimilar (GP2015) had been accepted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Low costs and less stringent regulatory requirements in India

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 15/01/2016

Dr Nagaraj Malipatil, a clinical pharmacologist, from Bangalore, India in his review of ‘similar biologics’ in India, outlines some of the drivers of the ‘similar biologics’ market in India [1].