The US-based company reported that it has delivered more than five million doses of lower cost biosimilars to patients in Europe and Australia.

Mr Thomas Moore, President of Hospira US, said that ‘bringing biosimilars to the US is the next major step toward reducing costs for the US healthcare system.’ Adding that ‘as the first US company to market biosimilars globally, Hospira will build on our track record of success to introduce biosimilars in the US and increase access for Americans to high quality biologic[al] medications that treat severe and life-threatening diseases.’

The company predicts that biosimilars hold the potential to save US$20 billion annually in the US if adopted successfully. With newer biologicals costing US$100,000 or more per patient per year a price decrease in the US similar to the one experienced in Europe would benefit patients and payers alike. Hospira believes that biosimilars offer cost savings to healthcare systems of approximately 25-30% in Australia and Europe.

Hospira’s biosimilars pipeline is one of the largest in the industry, with 11 biosimilars under development. The company has already carried out a successful phase I trial of its biosimilar erythropoietin (EPO) in the US comparing it to Amgen’s blockbuster anaemia drug, Epogen [1]; and it is currently conducting a phase III US clinical trial programme. In 2012, Hospira filed for European approval of a biosimilar version of infliximab, a treatment for auto-immune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis. The company also has a biosimilar version of Roche’s breast cancer blockbuster Herceptin (trastuzumab) in clinical studies.

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Hospira looks to biosimilars and increased use of generics for growth

Reference

1.  GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Positive results for phase I trial of biosimilar erythropoietin [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2013 Apr 29]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Positive-results-for-phase-I-trial-of-biosimilar-erythropoietin

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