The aim of the study analysis was to estimate the number of patients with psoriasis (PSO), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) covering Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, potentially eligible for biological therapy, in an Italian setting of clinical practice, using real-world data.

Biological therapies and the use of biosimilars have transformed disease control in patients with diseases where traditionally non-biologicals therapies have been used.

The study was based on 11.3% of the Italian population. The integration of administrative flows allowed, in full compliance with privacy regulations, to obtain a representation of the entire clinical history of the patient and not just of individual prescriptions. The healthcare resource used were the beneficiary database, the exemption database, the pharmaceutical database, the hospitalization database and the specialistic test and visit database [1].

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted several segments of the biologicals market, as the savings from biosimilar competition have reached an all-time high, the development of access to biologicals remains challenging, the competitive environment in Europe is changing and ensuring preparedness for future biosimilar opportunity [2].

The following series of three articles indicate the number of patients with PSO, RA, and IBDs who are possibly eligible for biological treatments and are still not receiving those treatments.

Related articles
Therapeutic drug monitoring with infliximab improved disease control 

Patient perspectives on biosimilars in a high uptake country 

Infliximab biosimilars for IBD patients: experience from Italy

References
1. Luca Degli Esposti. Estimation of patients with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases potentially eligible to biological therapies.18th Biosimilar Medicines Conference. 6‒7 October 2022; Brussels, Belgium.
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Impact of biosimilar competition in Europe in 2021 [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2022 Dec 12]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/reports/impact-of-biosimilar-competition-in-europe-in-2021

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