Deana Ferreri, PhD

Wide variation in treatment patterns for Crohn disease is attributable to failures to translate evidence uniformly and cost barriers. Authors of a new report have formulated algorithms to help reduce heterogeneity in treatment of patients.

Slow growth of use of biosimilar infliximab in a Medicare fee-for-service population suggests lingering hesitancy on the part of gastroenterologists and patients, particularly when it comes to extrapolation to off-label uses, according to a new study.

Rituximab was originally approved in the United States in 1997 for treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has multiple additional approvals for orphan and nonorphan indications. But a recent study found off-label uses now account for more than half of patients receiving rituximab.

Investigators found that manufacturers appear to be exploiting orphan drug exclusivities to extend market dominance and keep generics and biosimilars at bay.

The currently available anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are costly, but biosimilars in clinical development may ease this problem.

A joint position statement on biosimilars for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) sparked backlash and criticism over the recommendation against nonmedical switching from reference infliximab to a biosimilar.

The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement came to a rocky impasse over drug exclusivity protections, and July 1 is the day this agreement takes effect.

Fresenius Kabi’s pegfilgrastim biosimilar candidate has demonstrated a similar safety and immunogenicity profile to the reference product (Neulasta).

Investigators use the HERITAGE trial findings to argue for a more precise way of measuring clinical equivalence for biosimilars.

Although the totality of the evidence is reassuring, the jury is still out on nonmedical switching to biosimilars, according to new study results.

European investigators say their analysis of court cases involving innovator monoclonal antibodies suggests secondary patents have generally failed to stop biosimilar competition.

Patients in an Australian clinic were generally open to using biosimilars but knew little about them, according to a recent study.

In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), biosimilars have been available for roughly 5 years, but more evidence may be necessary to persuade medical community to increase usage, according to a study.

So many factors have the potential to affect the quality and performance of biosimilars that clinicians must be aware of the need for constant pharmacovigilance.

A gentle, persuasive effort to get patients and physicians to adopt biosimilars is likely to work better than a heavy-handed approach, say Canadian investigators, who recommend more study of how mindsets and prescribing practices are changed.

A review article contends that providers need to know more about the approval process for biosimilars and what data points are examined.

The use of low-dose methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis dates back more than 30 years, but despite these decades of clinical use, data on adverse effects have come mostly from observational studies rather than randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the authors say.

A recent year-in-review article outlines studies published in 2019 about nonmedical switching from originator biologics to biosimilars in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and axial spondyloarthritis.

Because of the high cost of biologics, the authors recognized a need to provide access to evidence-based information on biosimilars for healthcare providers working with patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Previous studies demonstrating equivalence of SB4 to etanercept in pharmacokinetics and safety have used pre-filled syringes, but these devices may be difficult for some patients to use if they have reduced hand dexterity due to the challenges of living with rheumatoid arthritis.

By 2023, patents on nearly 20 oncology biologics will expire, which could lead to more biosimilars in cancer care and therefore reduced costs, according to a review article.

The study aimed to provide insight into the real-world patterns of biosimilar initiation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Korea by identifying patient characteristics and other factors associated with starting biosimilars using a logistic regression model.

Researchers reviewed randomized controlled trials and real-world evidence studies on nonmedical switching; that is, switching patients who are doing well on their current originator therapy to a biosimilar.

The study examined secukinumab biosimilar lentivirus-based gene therapy, which showed successful and prolonged expression of the recombinant antibody in rats.

Increasing trust in generics and biosimilars, and assuring their timely entry into the market, will yield greater benefit from these lower-cost options, according to a recent review.

The biosimilar CPT-13 (Remsima) is currently approved in Europe for all uses for which the originator infliximab (Remicade) is approved, including Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which are often referred to collectively as IBD.

An accompanying editorial describes the current regulatory process as “a thicket of special programs, flexible review criteria, and generous incentives,” and suggests starting points for reforms, including improving access to biosimilars.

The final report includes voting results from a December 2019 meeting of one of ICER’s independent evidence appraisal panels, the California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF), plus policy recommendations from an expert roundtable.