Biosimilars/General

British Columbia expands biosimilar switching programme to include insulin

Biosimilars/General | Posted 14/01/2022

The Canadian province of British Columbia has expanded its biosimilar switching programme to include rapid-acting insulin products. Patients taking Humalog (insulin lispro) and NovoRapid (insulin aspart) will have six months to switch to a biosimilar version.

Viatris/Biocon launch two versions of Semglee to accommodate rebates

Biosimilars/General | Posted 17/12/2021

Viatris (formerly Mylan) and Biocon have launched two versions of their interchangeable biosimilar Semglee (insulin glargine) on the US market, at different price points, in order to accommodate rebates and increase market share.

Interchangeable insulin glargine biosimilars available through Prime Therapeutics and Walgreens

Biosimilars/General | Posted 10/12/2021

In November 2021, it was announced that, in the US, insulin glargine biosimilars co-developed by Viatris and Biocon Biologics will be preferentially offered through Prime Therapeutics pharmacy benefit management organization and will be available to members of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club.

Patients from Uruguay request that non-interchangeability of biotherapeutics be regulated

Biosimilars/General | Posted 03/12/2021

Patients demand guarantees that authorities will not make switches of biotherapeutic drugs solely for economic reasons and without considering the medical decision. This was expressed by the Uruguay Patients Alliance at the First National Biotechnology Forum. The main objective of this forum was to create a meeting place for the academic world, patients and health authorities in the field of biotechnology and innovation.

Concerns over Canada’s New Brunswick transition to biosimilars

Biosimilars/General | Posted 26/11/2021

Several biological medications whose patents have expired will no longer be covered under provincial drug plans of New Brunswick, Canada as of 30 November 2021. These are to be replaced by cheaper biosimilar versions; however, inflammatory disease associations have expressed concerns about the rapid transition.

AMD position statement on the use of biocomparables for psoriasis

Biosimilars/General | Posted 19/11/2021

The Mexican Academy of Dermatology (AMD) is a non-profit civil association founded in 1952 and formed by a group of relevant dermatologists dedicated to sharing experiences and keeping up to date with the latest advances in research. This group has developed the following position statement on biosimilars for psoriasis.

Advances for biotech in Korea: Samsung Bioepis, Celltrion and LG Chem

Biosimilars/General | Posted 12/11/2021

Korean companies Samsung Bioepis and Celltrion have accelerated their penetration into the global market, with a total of 11 approvals in Europe and eight in the US. In addition, Korea’s LG Chem has expanded its presence in Japan and China. This growth follows increasing investment in the biotech sector from South Korea’s government and private pharmaceutical companies [1, 2].

Biosimilars approved in Chile

Biosimilars/General | Posted 19/11/2021

In Chile, the regulatory body responsible for the approval of biological medicines is the National Drug Agency (Agencia Nacional de Medicamentos, ANAMED), which is part of the Institute of Public Health of Chile (ISP), under the Ministry of Health.

Biosimilars approved in Paraguay

Biosimilars/General | Posted 15/10/2021

In Paraguay, the regulatory body responsible for the approval of biological drugs is the National Directorate for Sanitary Surveillance (Dirección Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria, DINAVISA).

Biosimilars approved in Cuba

Biosimilars/General | Posted 08/10/2021

In Cuba, the regulatory body responsible for approving biological drugs is the Center for the State Control of Medicines, Medical Equipments and Devices (Control Estatal de Medicamentos, Equipos y Dispositivos Médicos, CECMED).

Biosimilars approved in Peru

Biosimilars/General | Posted 01/10/2021

In Peru, the regulatory body responsible for approving biological drugs is the General Directorate of Medicines, Supplies and Drugs (DIGEMID) of the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MINSA) which is in charge of leading the National and Decentralised Health System, the policy for the universal health assurance and the policies and intersectoral actions on social determinants [1].

Biosimilars approved in Uruguay

Biosimilars/General | Posted 24/09/2021

In Uruguay, the regulatory body responsible for the approval of biologicals is the Ministry of Public Health of Uruguay (Ministerio de Salud Pública de Uruguay, MSP).

Biosimilars approved in Costa Rica

Biosimilars/General | Posted 03/09/2021

In Costa Rica, the regulatory body responsible for the approval of biologicals is the Ministry of Health.

Interchangeable insulin glargine biosimilar preferred on Express Scripts

Biosimilars/General | Posted 05/11/2021

The interchangeable insulin glargine biosimilar, Semglee, has been listed by Express Scripts, America’s largest pharmacy benefit management organization, as a preferred insulin brand on its National Preferred Formulary (NPF), which includes more than 28 million lives in the US.

Argentinian gastroenterologist groups issued position statement on biosimilars use

Biosimilars/General | Posted 22/10/2021

Experts from the steering committees of the Argentinian Society of Gastroenterology (SAGE), the Argentinian Federation of Gastroenterology (FAGE) and the Argentinian Group of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GADECCU) have issued a joint position regarding the practical conditions for the clinical use of biosimilars indicated for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), by discussing the most notable aspects related to the definition of a biosimilar drug, bio-similarity, non-comparable biological drugs or ‘intended copies’, approval requirements, extrapolation of indications, interchangeability, automatic substitution, non-medical switching, nomenclature, clinical standards regarding safety and efficacy, implementation of an efficient and appropriate pharmacovigilance system and the potential economic impact on the healthcare system [1].