Biosimilars
FDA rejects Celltrion/Teva’s rituximab and trastuzumab biosimilars
South Korean biotechnology company Celltrion announced on 6 April 2018 that it had received complete response letters (CRLs) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its candidate rituximab (CT‑P10) and trastuzumab (CT‑P6) biosimilars.
Afucosylated biosimilars: the path to matching interrelated critical quality attributes
Advances in analytical characterization and increased understanding of drug mechanisms of action have resulted in the ability to raise the quality and safety of biosimilars by introducing critical quality attributes (CQA), which must be preserved during the manufacturing process. However, to realize these benefits, biosimilars manufacturers must develop the means to ensure these CQAs are met. For afucosylated IgG1s that rely on afucosylation content for efficacy, this has been challenging, since precisely matching both afucosylation content and biological activity has proven to be extremely difficult. In a recent paper, Chung and Zhan [1] elaborate on the underlying basis of these difficulties and highlight the work of several groups that has opened a path to directly addressing this problem.
Naming is an obstacle to the use of biosimilars in the US
Factors that may account for the slow development of the market for biosimilars in the US are discussed by Professor Richard Frank from the Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA [1]. In this article, the factor of biosimilars naming is discussed.
Obstacles to the use of biosimilars in the US
Professor Richard G Frank from the Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, discusses factors that may account for the slow development of competition in the market for biosimilars in the US [1].
EMA approval for infliximab biosimilar Zessly
The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on 23 March 2018 that it had recommended granting marketing authorization for the infliximab biosimilar Zessly.
Strategies for development and validation of neutralizing antibody assays supporting biosimilars
A biosimilar is a biological product with equivalent safety, purity and potency as an originator reference therapeutic. As such, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines have stepwise recommendations to demonstrate biosimilarity, which include immunogenicity assessment.
Biosimilar policies in Europe
Across European countries, differences exist in biosimilar policies, e.g. pricing and reimbursement procedures, levels of education, characteristics of covered population and incentivization of stakeholders, leading to variations in uptake of biosimilars and divergences in savings from biosimilars use. Experiences from different European countries with biosimilar policies may offer useful insights into current and future uptake of biosimilars.
EMA approval for trastuzumab biosimilar Kanjinti
The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on 23 March 2018 that it had recommended granting marketing authorization for the trastuzumab biosimilar Kanjinti.
Etanercept biosimilar SB4 less immunogenic than Enbrel
A research letter published in the British Journal of Dermatology suggests that the biosimilar etanercept SB4 is less immunogenic than the originator product, Amgen/Pfizer’s Enbrel (etanercept) [1].
Spanish gastroenterologists update biosimilar position statement
The Spanish Society of Gastroenterology (Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva,SEPD) has updated its position statement on the use of biosimilars for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [1]. The changes in the society’s position reflect the increasing body of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of biosimilars.
