The ‘Biosimilars Learning Center’ app, which was released on iTunes on 13 November 2014, Amgen suggests could be used in the decision-making process of key healthcare stakeholders including physicians, hospital organizations, pharmaceutical companies, payers, and policymakers.

It has also been developed to be a tool for patients, with the intent of offering educational information and insights on biosimilars.

The app covers the manufacturing of biosimilars, why biosimilars are not generics, pharmacovigilance, the value of biosimilars, i.e. why these medicines are going to bring generics-like savings) and formulary decisions.

Originator biologicals maker Amgen has been interested in biosimilars since back in 2011 [1], and the company now has a portfolio of nine biosimilars. The company is already developing biosimilars for cancer treatments: Avastin (bevacizumab), Herceptin (trastuzumab), Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab) from Roche and Erbitux (cetuximab) from Eli Lilly; for arthritis and Crohn’s disease treatments Humira (adalimumab) from AbbVie and Remicade (infliximab) from Johnson & Johnson; and has also initiated three additional biosimilar programmes [2]. Amgen expects to launch its first biosimilar in 2017.

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Reference
1.   GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Amgen’s biosimilar plans [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Nov 21]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Amgen-s-biosimilar-plans 
2.   GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Amgen expands biosimilars programme [www.gabionline.net].Mol,Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Nov 18]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Amgen-expands-biosimilars-programme

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