Biosimilars

A roundup of the latest biosimilar news from The Center for Biosimilars®.

A Cardinal Health report reviewed the potential impact biosimilars will have in rheumatology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and ophthalmology.

There are 2 ranibizumab biosimilars approved in the United States, and with more ranibizumab and the first aflibercept biosimilars on the horizon, gaps in knowledge among retinal physicians should be addressed.

When the first adalimumab (Humira) biosimilar launched at the end of January, it was just the beginnings of a wave of coming biosimilars for anti-inflammatory biologics.

The authors review a House Oversight Committee investigation report on AbbVie’s practices pertaining to adalimumab (Humira) to shed light on broader pharmaceutical market dynamics hindering a competitive market.

The first of at least 8 adalimumab biosimilars has finally launched in the United States after being kept off the market for years due to settlement agreements with the maker of the reference product, Humira.

Multiple adalimumab biosimilars will hit the US market in 2023, but the drug is still projected to have the largest price increase for the calendar year starting July 1.

Compared with sorafenib, a combination of sintilimab and a bevacizumab biosimilar improved responses in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Two ranibizumab biosimilars launched in the United States in 2022, but a new report shows comfort and familiarity with biosimilars has gone down compared with a year ago.

The addition of adalimumab biosimilars to formularies can help accelerate realized savings as the blockbuster drug Humira faces competition from multiple biosimilars, including 1 approved interchangeable biosimilar.

In 2022, the articles published in the peer-reviewed The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) explored care management interventions, savings from biosimilars, and much more.

The top biosimilars content of 2022 reviewed perceptions around switching to a trastuzumab biosimilar, drug costs, and the successful implementation of biosimilars in practice.

Abstracts presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) show 2 tocilizumab biosimilars were comparable to the reference product.

Biosimilar use in clinical practice is determined by oncologists’ perceptions of and willingness to prescribe them. The authors investigated US oncologists’ perceptions and use of biosimilars.

Due to anticompetitive practices, the United States lags Germany and Switzerland in the number of biosimilars on the market, while also having substantially higher prices for both biosimilars and reference products.

Abstracts show that institutions can make internal changes to drive the use of biosimilars and that successful biosimilar-to-biosimilar switching is based on patient-related factors.

A bill introduced by Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, would prohibit the FDA requiring switching studies for biosimilars to gain interchangeability status.

Switching from the originator products to biosimilars or between biosimilars is safe and effective, according to a review of real-world studies.

Findings suggest that Basaglar was not less expensive for patients than Lantus. Empirical evaluation of biosimilar costs prior to automatic substitution is necessary.

Ahead of the big wave of adalimumab biosimilars launching in the US market in 2023, rheumatologists report growing confidence in using biosimilars but remain concerned about their efficacy and economic benefit.

Coverage from the Atlanta meeting of the Institute for Value-Based Medicine, chaired by Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA, director of pharmacy services, Emory Healthcare and Emory Winship Cancer Institute.

The bill was introduced by 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats and would direct HHS to undertake a study to understand how substitution of interchangeable biologic products may be impeded.

One of the first parts of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act took effect Monday; it boosts the add-on payment for qualifying biosimilars whose average sales price is not more than the price of its reference product from 6% of the reference product’s ASP to 8% for 5 years.

Sonia T. Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA, navigates the impact of the VOLTAIRE-X study, the only published switching study for adalimumab, on biosimilar uptake.

With 6 pegfilgrastim biosimilars approved, and multiple administration options, a patient-centric model of pegfilgrastim administration should be possible for patients with cancer who require prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia.

The authors evaluate the effect and safety of biosimilar trastuzumab MYL-1401O in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive early-stage (neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy) and metastatic (palliative therapy) breast cancer using real-world data.

While commercial payers have been engaged with the shift to biosimilars, they all have their own preferred biosimilar, which makes it challenging for practices, explained Lalan Wilfong, MD, vice president of payer relations & practice transformation at The US Oncology Network.

In 2021, the specialty drug trend rebounded from the pandemic, and it is expected to stay strong with more specialty drugs coming. Increased availability of biosimilars could shift this trend.