Biologicals such as rituximab and trastuzumab have improved treatment outcomes for many cancers. However, due to their high economic burden, ‘highly similar’ products known as biosimilars have been developed and used. Yet, there is still concern surrounding comparability of efficacy and safety between the biosimilar and its reference biological, especially regarding patients switching from the reference to the biosimilar.
On this subject, Australian authors Song NK et al. investigated whether biosimilars are as promising as claimed. The authors aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of rituximab biosimilars to reference rituximab in patients with cancer. They cited clinical evidence, including a systematic review of 29 studies of comparing rituximab biosimilars and its reference product, and have found comparability in efficacy and safety which overall adds support of their use in oncology. However, they also noted that there was a knowledge gap in the group of patients who have switched from the originator to biosimilar.
In the end, the authors recommended further investigation on appropriate biosimilar uptake strategies specifically switching between originators to biosimilars and biosimilars to biosimilars to improve clinician and patient confidence in biosimilar uptake. In Australia, improved uptake of biosimilars have already led to accelerated reduction on immunotherapy costs leading to direct patient savings but also significant savings to the health system leading to wider access to rituximab through the removal of prescribing restrictions to access drug subsidy or reimbursement [1].
Conflict of interest
The authors of the research paper [1] declared that there was no conflict of interest.
Abstracted by Dr Jennifer Ong, Lecturer, Clinical Placement Coordinator, The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Badham, Rm S503, Pharmacy and Bank Building A15, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia.
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Substitution and interchangeability: time for a conversation?
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Reference
1. Song NK, Musa H, Soriano M, et al. Safety and efficacy comparisons of rituximab biosimilars to the reference product in patients with cancer: a systematic meta-analysis review. J Pharm Pract Res. 2022. doi:10.1002/jppr.1827
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