Biosimilars

Successful increase of biosimilar adoption in a large integrated health delivery network

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 03/06/2022

Biologicals have revolutionized patient care across several therapeutic areas but are associated with significantly higher costs to patients and healthcare systems. Biosimilars offer the opportunity to reduce drug spending without compromising patient care. Medication utilization management (UM), a formulary management methodology, can be used to facilitate the adoption of biosimilars. Author Sophia Humphreys describes an innovative and strategic biosimilar adoption programme that was developed and implemented at Providence St Joseph Health [1]. Providence is a large integrated health system including 53 hospitals, 1,085 clinics and an annual drug spend of >US$1.2 billion.

US prescription drug expenditure projection report

Biosimilars/General | Posted 03/06/2022

United States expenditure on pharmaceuticals was up in 2021, finds a report published in American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy [1]. It also highlights that increased uptake of biosimilars is allowing for healthcare savings yet overall spending on drugs in the US will increase by up to 6% in 2022.

Lucentis biosimilars approved in the UK and Korea

Biosimilars/News | Posted 27/05/2022

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have approved biosimilar versions of Genentech’s ophthalmology drug, Lucentis (ranibizumab).

Patient perspectives on biosimilars in a high uptake country

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 27/05/2022

Several surveys have shown that challenges for patient acceptance of biosimilars include patients’ concerns of quality, safety, and efficacy [1-3], however, there has been lacking more in-depth knowledge of the patient perspective and the underlying rationales for such perspective. Therefore and considering Denmark has one of the highest biosimilar uptakes [4], Varma et al. [5] investigated how Danish patients with psoriasis, arthritic diseases, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) perceived biosimilars.

Biosimilar adoption and prescribing in Japan: a physician opinion survey

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 20/05/2022

Japanese physicians regularly request information on quality, efficacy, safety and cost burden to the patient when adopting or prescribing biosimilars, demonstrates a recent survey [1]. Higher biosimilars uptake may be achievable if such information was made more accessible and digestible.

New adalimumab biosimilars prepare to launch in Canada, US and Europe

Biosimilars/News | Posted 16/05/2022

Several new adalimumab biosimilar products are preparing to launch in Canada, the US and Europe, from manufacturers including BIOJAMP, Alvotech and Celltrion.

Innovent and Eli Lilly announce final results for sintilimab plus biosimilar bevacizumab injection

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 16/05/2022

Innovent and Eli Lilly have announced final clinical results for their sintilimab plus bevacizumab biosimilar injection, which has been accepted by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

FDA approves Amneal’s bevacizumab biosimilar

Biosimilars/News | Posted 06/05/2022

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Amneal Pharmaceuticals’ (Amneal) bevacizumab biosimilar, Alymsys, the third bevacizumab biosimilar to be approved in the US.

Totality of evidence supporting approval of Avsola in the treatment of IBD

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 06/05/2022

Avsola (ABP 710) is a biosimilar to the infliximab reference product (Remicade), a monoclonal antibody targeting tumour necrosis factor-alfa. Avsola is approved in the US and Canada for all the same indications as Remicade, including adult and paediatric Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis [1, 2]. Infliximab is a highly efficacious treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes CD and UC. The totality of evidence (TOE) supporting the development and approval of ABP 710 was recently reviewed [3].

Survey results of biosimilars use among Spanish physicians and pharmacists

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 06/05/2022

Marín-Jiménez I et al. published in April 2021 a report based on a survey that was launched in Spain between June and November 2020 among hospital pharmacists and specialty physicians (dermatology, rheumatology, gastroenterology) to analyse knowledge, perceptions, attitude, barriers and facilitators of biosimilars uptake. Response rate was close to 100%.

Europe: positive opinion for Inpremzia and Truvelog Mix 30 and Stimufend authorized

Biosimilars/News | Posted 29/04/2022

On 28 March 2022, the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for Fresenius Kabi's oncology biosimilar, Stimufend (pegfilgrastim); and the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on 24 February 2022 that it had recommended granting of marketing authorization for an insulin aspart biosimilar and an insulin human (rDNA) biosimilar.

Amgen announces positive phase III results for ustekinumab biosimilar

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 29/04/2022

Amgen has announced positive results from a phase III trial of its ustekinumab biosimilar, ABP 654. The trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating no clinically meaningful differences with the originator product, Stelara.

HHS new study on biosimilar use and expanded trials will include older patients

Biosimilars/General | Posted 29/04/2022

In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced that it will launch a study on biosimilars use and spending trends in Medicare Part B. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also made changes to clinical trials to improve information available on use of biosimilars in older patients.

Regulating drug prices in Medicare unlikely to lead to ‘revenue targeting’

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 22/04/2022

A report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) suggests that regulating drug prices in Medicare is unlikely to lead manufacturers to compensate by increasing revenues from the commercial market, based on analysis of similar events in the European Union (EU).

Needle-free delivery of biological drugs from Rani and Progenity

Biosimilars/General | Posted 22/04/2022

Rani Therapeutics and Progenity have announced the respective launch and development of new oral, needle-free methods to deliver large biological drug molecules.

Secondary patents delay access to biosimilars in the US

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 15/04/2022

Biological drug patents covering new methods of manufacturing and formulation are major contributors to delays in biosimilar market entry in the US, finds a new study published in Nature Biotechnology [1].

FDA approves Kashiv Biosciences’ filgrastim biosimilar

Biosimilars/News | Posted 15/04/2022

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a filgrastim biosimilar produced by India-based Kashiv Biosciences. The biosimilar will be marketed under the trade name Releuko (filgrastim-ayow).

British Columbia adds coverage for three new enoxaparin biosimilars

Biosimilars/General | Posted 15/04/2022

British Columbia, Canada has added PharmaCare coverage for three new enoxaparin biosimilars, a blood thinner used to prevent and treat blood clots.

Celltrion updates on Remsima and Yuflyma

Biosimilars/News | Posted 08/04/2022

South Korean biotechnology company Celltrion announced two new data sets on the subcutaneous formulation Remsima (infliximab) in a number of conditions in March 2022. This followed the February 2022 announcement that the high-concentration version of Celltrion’s autoimmune disease biosimilar Yuflyma (adalimumab) has received approval from the European Commission.

Phase III trial evidence used in approval of ranibizumab biosimilar Byooviz

Biosimilars/Research | Posted 08/04/2022

Byooviz (SB11) is the first ranibizumab biosimilar approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) [1, 2].