Practice

In light of 2 blockbuster originators, namely Humira (adalimumab) and Stelara (ustekinumab), losing market exclusivity in 2023, 3 doctors penned supplement in The American Journal of Managed Care®. On this episode, Vibeke Strand, MD, one of the co-authors, explored how health systems can take charge and boost biosimilar adoption.

The 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit featured Juliana (Julie) Reed, executive director of the Biosimilars Forum, who spoke on the challenges still facing the biosimilars industry and how they may impact the success of adalimumab biosimilars in the United States.

Colby Evans, MD, a dermatologist and co-author of an American Journal of Managed Care® supplement “Biosimilars for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: 2022 Update" shares the managed care perspective on using biosimilars to treat inflammatory conditions.

In a study including 2 years of real-world evidence (RWE), patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were switched from originator rituximab (Rituxan) to GP2013, a rituximab biosimilar, experienced positive results and maintained clinical outcomes.

The authors of what they say is the largest and longest follow-up study comparing the trastuzumab biosimilar SB3 to the reference product (Herceptin) in HER2-positive breast cancer found “no clinically meaningful difference” between the biosimilar and the reference product.

In a panel at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, speakers presented on the payer perspective regarding biosimilars, including that they feel comfortable preferring multiple biosimilars for the same reference product and are looking for interchangeability designations.

A review article investigating the use of bevacizumab biosimilars found that despite lingering concerns about their usage for extrapolated indications, bevacizumab biosimilars are regularly used in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) even though clinical tests only evaluate them in patients with lung cancer.

Nonmedical switches from Humira (reference adalimumab) to a biosimilar or an adalimumab biosimilar to another biosimilar resulted in nocebo effect responses, suggesting that more communication between providers and patients is needed, according to a real-world analysis.

A retrospective study in Scotland found that multiple successive changes from originator infliximab to biosimilars seem to be safe and effective in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irrespective of the number of switches.

Authors of a single-center, real-world study in Turkey found that patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who received a rituximab biosimilar had similar overall survival to patients who received the originator. However, progression-free survival was longer in the originator group.

A real-world study in India compared the ranibizumab biosimilar Razumab to the originator (Lucentis) in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), finding that the biosimilar had comparable clinical outcomes.

Kathy Oubre, MS, CEO of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, discusses the use of biosimilars and how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) as well as payers have challenged the biosimilar market.

A retrospective real-world study assessing patient outcomes related to switching from reference rituximab (Rituxan) to a biosimilar version (Truxima) found that transitioning between the products was safe for patients and did not result in a change in adverse events.

Although 75% of gastroenterologists believed that the efficacy of biosimilars and biologics were the same, most clinicians still preferred the brand name drug option.

In IQVIA’s latest report, neurologists in Europe reported feeling positive about the biosimilars for multiple sclerosis (MS) coming down the pipeline, showing that industry-wide education efforts and experience with biosimilars are working to instill greater confidence in these products.

Although rheumatologists, dermatologists, and gastroenterologists rated their awareness of adalimumab biosimilars as high, a significant proportion of each group reported that they were not confident prescribing a biosimilar over the originator.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest Canadian province to implement a biosimilar switching policy, following in the footsteps of Ontario and 7 other jurisdictions.

A review of real-world studies assessing patient-reported outcome measures of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) found that although clinical outcomes were similar, patients taking a biosimilar were found to have higher discontinuation rates, possibly as a result of the nocebo effect.

More and more women are becoming pregnant while on anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biosimilars used to treat inflammatory disorders. However, there is “little data” on the safety and effectiveness of biosimilars in pregnancy, according to authors of a recent retrospective study.

In a report from CVS Health, interchangeability will not be a primary factor in driving the adoption of adalimumab biosimilars referencing Humira, contradicting predictions from other sources that believe the designation will impact prescribing habits.

The FDA's new artificial intelligence (AI)-based modeling on characterizing protein aggregation could directly impact the safety assurance of biosimilars and other therapeutic proteins.

Increasing the use of biosimilars in Belgium will require realigning financial incentives and providing more information to medical professionals, according to authors of a study that proposed policy recommendations.

Authors of a review of safety results across indications and study designs on the epoetin alfa biosimilar HX575 concluded that HX575 “has repeatedly demonstrated long-term safety” in all approved indications in both clinical trials and real-world studies.

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) steadfastly supports the availability of safe and effective treatments for patients at the lowest cost possible, and underscores the necessity of scientific rigor for biosimilar use and approval.

According to the authors of a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China, sintilimab plus a bevacizumab biosimilar could improve quality of life for patients, but at a higher cost than lenvatinib.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have similar positive attitudes towards biologics and both trust their specialists’ recommendations, according to a recent survey conducted in Australia.

In Cardinal Health’s 2023 Biosimilars Report, more than 60% of surveyed providers said they would only want to prescribe adalimumab biosimilars with interchangeability designations, suggesting the label may have a greater impact on uptake than originally expected.

Panelists at the annual meeting of the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) offered insight into the current state of the global biosimilar and generic markets and why government agencies need to leverage these medicines to address challenges in the pharmaceutical space.

In theory, by offering a lower-cost treatment option, biosimilars would help drive access for countless patients who simply could not afford the brand-name biologic. However, biosimilars have also encountered the harsh realities of the US health care system and its market forces.

Two presentations and a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the Association for Accessible Medicines (Access 2023) went over the current state of biosimilar uptake and the factors that help determine whether a biosimilar will experience good adoption rates.