Practice

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.

The Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association in Australia reported its 2020 Biosimilar Awareness Week was successful, with educational messages from the event reaching over 540,000 Australians via social media.

We sat down with Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, director of pharmacy at Emory Healthcare, to discuss how this program has empowered biosimilar utilization within Emory and how Emory’s initiatives could be implemented on a larger scale.

A phase 1b/2 trial evaluating a trastuzumab biosimilar as part of a first-line triplet regimen demonstrated significant tumor shrinkage in HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.

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.

A review laid out ways for nurses to address patients’ questions on biosimilars in order to help them take on the role of improving utilization rates in cancer treatment.

After a study from India suggested a higher incidence of adverse reactions in patients using biosimilar filgrastims, 2 European biosimilar consultants and oncologists raised objections to the study’s methodology.

Sandoz Canada launched a digital campaign to provide fact-based materials on biosimilars in hopes of spreading awareness on the benefits of biosimilars for physicians and patients.

Kathy Oubre, chief operating officer at the Pontchartrain Cancer Center in Louisiana, president of the Louisiana Medical Group Management Association and member of the board of directors for the Community Oncology Alliance, discusses how payers, pharmacy benefit managers, and manufacturers make providing biosimilars complicated for patients and providers.

A new scorecard system developed by IQVIA rates the health and sustainability of biosimilars markets across Europe.

In surveys conducted in February and March 2020, rheumatologists cited low adoption rates of biosimilars by payers and unfavorable discounts as major reasons why they feel uncomfortable switching prescribing patterns from reference products to biosimilars.

Based on clinical studies on dosing, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics, European authorities have recommended Celltrion's subcutaneous infliximab biosimilar (Remsima SC) for 5 new indications.

Patients have problems getting timely authorizations for specialty meds and physicians face time burdens in getting them approved, a new report from CoverMyMeds says.

There is much inconsistency in the way physicians transition patients from insulin degludec to insulin glargine upon hospital admission, leading to higher risk especially for patients with type 1 diabetes, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association 80th Scientific Sessions online conference.

A study presented at the European League Against Rheumatism conference suggested that French rheumatologists have good knowledge of biosimilars but lack the confidence to use them.

Following in the footsteps of British Columbia, other Canadian provinces are working to implement their own biosimilars initiatives that would switch patients from some of the most costly reference biologics to biosimilar counterparts.

Investigators said the English health care system has realized only a sliver of the potential savings potential from biosimilar insulin glargine and that uptake is widely uneven across health care centers.

The FDA has approved Pfizer’s pegfilgrastim biosimilar Nyvepria for use in lowering the incidence of infection as manifested by febrile neutropenia.

Investigators produced what they described as the first evidence supporting the use of biosimilar erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in patients with myelofibrosis-related anemia.

Canada Health has approved the launch of Sandoz' pegfilgrastim and rituximab biosimilars.

Clinical trials leading up to biosimilar approval may not reveal the full safety and efficacy profile of biosimilars vs reference products, and postmarketing studies may be essential to elucidate any differences, investigators said.

Patient preferences play a large role in the effort to get biosimilars into the mainstream of therapeutics, and education is often a struggle, panelists said at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2020 Virtual Annual Conference.

The alternative payment model (APM) doesn’t perfectly balance the competing interests of revenue growth and value-based care, but it has been a learning tool, panelists said at Virtual ISPOR 2020, the annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.

Harmonized efforts across global borders and among stakeholders are needed to generate and build acceptance of real world evidence (RWE) to actively aid in health care decision making, panelists said at Virtual ISPOR 2020, the annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.

A retrospective study of physician surveys on biosimilars demonstrated that understanding physician attitudes toward biosimilars is crucial to improving uptake of these agents.

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

The reasons for biosimilar brand preference in a recent rituximab study were unclear, but investigators said it is clear that savings were a likely factor.

One only needs to look at Europe to see the future, says a pharmacy expert, who sees the US payer landscape moving to greater biosimilar adoption in 2020.

A retrospective, postmarketing study demonstrates higher incidence of joint and bone pain, neutropenia with certain filgrastim biosimilars, compared with Neupogen.

A New Zealand study of patients with rheumatic conditions suggests that providers need to be mindful of patient attitudes toward biosimilars to prevent biased therapy choices and poor outcomes.