Development

Ivo Abraham, PhD, chief scientist of Matrix45 and a professor at the University of Arizona, describes the pharmacoeconomics of biosimilars and the savings potential for practices and payers if they prioritize greater biosimilar adoption.

Eculizumab is used to treat paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare bone marrow disorder in which expansion of certain hematopoietic cells that lack a key protein cause the destruction of red blood cells, or hemolysis.

Celltrion Healthcare set its sights on obtaining an interchangeability designation for its adalimumab biosimilar, and Formycon released positive findings from a phase 3 trial involving its ustekinumab biosimilar.

A phase 1 study compared pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), safety, and immunogenicity between SB12, a proposed eculizumab biosimilar, and EU and US reference products (Soliris) in healthy adults.

In an interview with The Center for Biosimilars®, Hyoung Ki Kim, vice chairman and CEO of Celltrion Healthcare, breaks down the benefits of biobetters, how they differ from biosimilars, and how they could alter the future landscape of the biologics industry.

Results from a phase 3 trial suggested similar efficacy and safety of the denosumab biosimilar candidate Arylia (AryoGen Pharmed) to the reference product (Prolia) in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Posters from the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting showed the safety and efficacy of a trastuzumab biosimilar and a denosumab biosimilar in different types of cancer.

A letter penned by Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD, advocating for the banning of animal testing requirements for biosimilar development was published in Science, suggesting the journal has softened to the idea that animal testing may not be as useful as originally thought.

Ivo Abraham, PhD, chief scientist of Matrix45 and a member of The Center for Biosimilars® Advisory Board, explains the difference between biosimilar interchangeability and substitution and weighs in on whether switching studies are necessary.

As Alvotech announced that dosing of patients with its aflibercept biosimilar candidate has begun, Viatris announces its third recall for a batch of its insulin glargine biosimilar over missing labels.

In the first human study of Shanghai Henlius Biotech's pertuzumab biosimilar candidate (HLX11), investigators found similar pharmacokinetic (PK), safety, and immunogenicity profiles between the biosimilar and the reference product (Perjeta).

Shanghai Henlius Biotech announced the commencement of a phase 3 trial for its denosumab biosimilar (HLX14) referencing Xgeva in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis with a high risk of fracture.

Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD, a professor and biosimilar advocate, chronicles the current efforts to remove animal testing from application requirements for biosimilars under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA), including recent congressional action.

Formycon’s completed acquisition of 2 biosimilar assets and start of development for 2 others provide hope for investors as the company announced some expected losses during the first quarter of fiscal year 2022.

Ivo Abraham, PhD, chief scientist of Matrix45 and a member of The Center for Biosimilars® Advisory Board, explores the complicated world of phase 3 trials for biosimilars to answer the question of whether they are truly needed for establishing biosimilar safety and efficacy.

The FDA granted a new indication for rheumatoid arthritis for Riabni, a rituximab biosimilar, and Organon and Shanghai Henlius Biotech entered into a licensing agreement for 2 oncology biosimilar candidates.

Data showing the clinical outcomes of Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar referencing Humira (adalimumab) were shared at the European Congress of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, EULAR 2022.

With multiple adalimumab biosimilars poised to enter the market and more biosimilars in more disease states seeking interchangeability, the US market is entering a new phase of biosimilar use.

Alvotech released new data demonstrating the equivalence of its ustekinumab biosimilar (AVT04) to the reference product (Stelara) in patients with plaque psoriasis.

As drug companies continue to follow the growing trend adopting more environmentally friendly and socially conscious frameworks, many are choosing to highlight their biosimilar portfolios as an example of their efforts.

In a pharmacokinetic study, Alvotech’s ustekinumab biosimilar referencing Stelara was shown to have comparable safety and efficacy to the reference product, according to the company’s preliminary results.

After agreeing to settle with Amgen over its oncology biosimilars, Pfizer issued a new patent lawsuit against 5 companies over the development of Brenzys, an etanercept biosimilar, in Australia.

Biocon’s total revenue for the fourth quarter of the 2022 fiscal year was up 21% from the same period in the prior year, largely due to significant growth in sales for the company’s biosimilar and generic drugs.

Biosimilar manufacturers should consider working together to overcome some of the barriers that prevent biosimilars from entering the market and obtaining market share, according to Ivo Abraham, PhD, chief scientist of Matrix45 and a member of The Center for Biosimilars® Advisory Board.

Amgen’s earnings report for the first quarter of 2022 reveals that as some of its biosimilars experienced increased sales, its sales for reference products that are facing biosimilar competition decreased.

During the Coherus Biosciences earnings call, the company announced that it was terminating its licensing agreement with Innovent Biologics for Byvasda, a bevacizumab biosimilar candidate referencing Avastin.

The United States is about to enter round 2 of biosimilar activity with a pipeline that expands biosimilars into new therapeutic areas, said Sonia Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA, vice president of biosimilars, Cardinal Health, during her presentation at Asembia’s Specialty Pharmacy Summit.

Now that the United States’ acceptance of biosimilars matches that in the European Union, developers should be encouraging changes to testing regulations to increase biosimilar accessibility, according to Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD, in his recent perspective paper.

Switzerland-based company Fresenius Kabi announced that its pegfilgrastim biosimilar received marketing authorization in Europe and that it has obtained a majority stake in biosimilar manufacturer mAbxience and acquired its subsidiary.

OcyonBio signed a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) agreement for the manufacturing of biosimilars in Puerto Rico, while Evio Pharmacy Solutions implemented a strategy aimed at increasing biosimilar affordability.