- Bone Health
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Respiratory
- Dermatology
- Diabetes
- Gastroenterology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Rare Disease
- Rheumatology
Pfizer Launches Bevacizumab Biosimilar, Zirabev, in the United States
Zirabev, which references Avastin, will be priced at a wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of $61.34 per 10 mg, representing a 23% discount to the WAC of Avastin, Pfizer said.
Pfizer announced Monday that its bevacizumab biosimilar, Zirabev, has launched and will be available next week.
Zirabev, which references Avastin, will be priced at a wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of $61.34 per 10 mg, representing a 23% discount to the WAC of Avastin, Pfizer said. In an email to The Center for Biosimilars®, a company spokeswoman said "the medication will be available for shipment from Pfizer the week of January 13."
The biosimilar was approved in June 2019 by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, recurrent or metastatic nonsquamous non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), recurrent glioblastoma, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer.
It also earned the European Commission’s approval in February 2019 after having received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use in December 2018.
Last year, attorneys for both Genentech, which sells Avastin, and Pfizer entered a joint stipulation of dismissal of their patent litigation over bevacizumab. The stipulation stated that the parties are voluntarily dismissing all claims and counterclaims of an April 2019 complaint without prejudice. In the original complaint, Genentech alleged that Pfizer had not produced all necessary information concerning the biosimilar to Genentech, and also claimed that the biosimilar would infringe 23 of its patents.
News about the next bevacizumab biosimilar is not expected until later in the year. Last November, the FDA accepted for review SB8, a proposed bevacizumab biosimilar from Samsung Bioepis.
From Amjevita to Zarxio: A Decade of US Biosimilar Approvals
March 6th 2025Since the FDA’s groundbreaking approval of Zarxio in 2015, the US biosimilars market has surged to 67 approvals across 18 originators—though the journey has been anything but smooth, with adoption facing hurdles along the way.
How AI Can Help Address Cost-Related Nonadherence to Biologic, Biosimilar Treatment
March 9th 2025Despite saving billions, biosimilars still account for only a small share of the biologics market—what's standing in the way of broader adoption and how can artificial intelligence (AI) help change that?
Will the FTC Be More PBM-Friendly Under a Second Trump Administration?
February 23rd 2025On this episode of Not So Different, we explore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) second interim report on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) with Joe Wisniewski from Turquoise Health, discussing key issues like preferential reimbursement, drug pricing transparency, biosimilars, shifting regulations, and how a second Trump administration could reshape PBM practices.
The Banking of Biosimilars: Insights From a Leading Health Economist
February 4th 2025Biosimilars have the potential to reduce health care costs and expand patient access, but economic and policy barriers affect adoption, explored James D. Chambers, PhD, MPharm, MSc, associate professor at the Tufts Medical Center Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, in an interview.
