Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – July 2021

Biosimilars/General | Posted 30/07/2021 post-comment0 Post your comment

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the European Union (EU). A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

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All medicines for human and animal use derived from biotechnology and other high-tech processes (including biosimilars) must be approved via the centralized EMA procedure. EMA has both general and product specific guidelines giving information on the requirements for biosimilar applications submitted to EMA [1].

According to EMA’s list of applications for new human medicines under evaluation by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) released on 9 July 2021, the agency is reviewing 12 biosimilar applications. One application is for diabetes treatment insulin human (rDNA). There are currently no biosimilars for insulin human rDNA approved in Europe [2].

The other applications are two for arthritis treatment adalimumab, one for anticancer treatment bevacizumab, one for diabetes treatment insulin aspart, one for neutropenia (a lack of white blood cells) treatment in cancer patients pegfilgrastim, four for osteoporosis treatment teriparatide and two for breast and gastric-cancer treatment trastuzumab, for which there are already biosimilars available on the European market [2], see Table 1.

Table 1: Biosimilars under review by EMA*
Common name Therapeutic area Number of applications EMA-approved originator(s) Originator company(ies)
Adalimumab Immunosuppressant 2 Humira AbbVie
Bevacizumab Antineoplastic medicines (anticancer) 1 Avastin Roche
Insulin aspart Diabetes 1 NovoLog Novo Nordisk
Insulin human (rDNA) Diabetes 1 Actrapid/
Humulin
Novo Nordisk/
Eli Lilly
Pegfilgrastim Immunostimulant (neutropenia) 1 Neulasta Amgen
Teriparatide Calcium homeostasis (osteoporosis) 4 Forsteo Eli Lilly
Trastuzumab Antineoplastic medicines (anticancer) 2 Herceptin Roche
Total   12    
*Data collected on 30 July 2021.
rDNA: recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid.
Source: EMA.

  
The bevacizumab biosimilars Alymsys and Oyavas (MB02) were approved in Europe in March 2021 [3] and Abevmy (MYL 1402O) was approved in April 2021 [4]. While the bevacizumab biosimilar Lextemy received a positive recommendation from the EMA’s CHMP in February 2021.

Then, in June 2021, the EMA’s CHMP recommended approval of the ranibizumab biosimilar Byooviz [5].

Related articles
Generics applications under review by EMA – July 2021

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – January 2021

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References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EU guidelines for biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Jul 30]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Guidelines/EU-guidelines-for-biosimilars 
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Biosimilars approved in Europe [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Jul 30]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/General/Biosimilars-approved-in-Europe 
3. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EC approval for bevacizumab biosimilar Alymsys/Oyavas [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Jul 30]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/news/EC-approval-for-bevacizumab-biosimilar-Alymsys-Oyavas 
4. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EC approves bevacizumab biosimilar Abevmy [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Jul 30]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/news/EC-approves-bevacizumab-biosimilar-Abevmy 
5. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EMA recommends approval of Samsung Bioepis/Biogen’s ranibizumab biosimilar Byooviz [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Jul 30]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/news/ema-recommends-approval-of-samsung-bioepis-biogen-s-ranibizumab-biosimilar-byooviz

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Source: EMA

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