In the Changing Biosimilar Landscape, Canadian Rheumatology Association Updates Its Position
May 30th 2019The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) has issued an update to its position statement on biosimilars. In the document, the CRA says that evidence for the risk/benefit ratio for biosimilars is accruing rapidly, and physicians must demonstrate fiscal responsibility while providing the best care possible to individual patients.
House Passes CREATES, 2 Other Bills Targeting High Drug Prices
May 29th 2019The House of Representatives has passed HR 965, the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 (CREATES Act), as well as 2 other bills dealing with drug prices: HR 1499, the Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, and HR 938, the Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition While Keeping Incentives for New Generics (BLOCKING) Act of 2019.
Real-World Data Suggest CT-P13 Carries Lower Risk of Infection Than Remicade
May 29th 2019Infliximab and its biosimilars are often used as a treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC), and recent years have seen the collection of real-world data on the use of biosimilar CT-P13 (Inflectra, Remsima) that confirm the product’s equivalent efficacy to that of the reference, Remicade. One newly published study, which assessed patient data from a French nationwide health administrative database, found that not only is biosimilar CT-P13 as effective as the reference product in treating UC, it may also have a lower risk of serious infections.
FTC Report Shows a Drop in Potentially Anticompetitive Drug Settlements
May 28th 2019A new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff report has found that, despite an increase in patent settlements concerning generic drugs, fewer settlements included the kinds of “pay-for-delay” provisions that are likely to be anticompetitive in nature.
Study Identifies Risk Factors for Infliximab Discontinuation in RA
May 27th 2019A study presented at the recent ISPOR 2019 meeting assessed both the cost associated with treatment with infliximab for patients at US hospitals as well as reasons for discontinuation of therapy during follow-up, and it found that insurance coverage status is one factor that plays a role in discontinuation of this therapy that rose consistently in price over the study period.
Enbrel, Humira Top Prescription Drug Spending for Those Covered Through Large Employer Plans
May 25th 2019A recently released analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation sheds new light on how rising drug prices are impacting patients' out-of-pocket spending on drugs, as well as the budgets of private and public payers.
Amid Outcry Over High Costs, Eli Lilly Launches Lower-Priced Insulin Lispro
May 23rd 2019Eli Lilly and Company announced this week that it has made a lower-cost insulin lispro injection available in pharmacies. The company said that the authorized version carries a list price ($137.35 per vial and $265.20 for a package of 5 pens) that is 50% lower than that of the brand-name Humalog injection.
Using Biosimilar Infliximab Could Expand Treatment Access in Brazil, Researchers Say
May 23rd 2019In an analysis presented at ISPOR 2019, a team of researchers sought to demonstrate the cost to incorporate biologic treatment for patients with inflammatory diseases by using biosimilar infliximab instead of its reference.
Health Canada Approves Its First Biosimilar Trastuzumab, Ogivri
May 22nd 2019Health Canada has approved Mylan and Biocon’s trastuzumab biosimilar, Ogivri, referencing Herceptin. The product, also approved in the United States, the European Union, and elsewhere, is the first biosimilar trastuzumab to be approved in Canada, and carries indications for HER2-positive breast cancer and HER2-positive metastatic stomach cancer.
In CD, Subcutaneous CT-P13 Has Similar Efficacy and Safety to IV Formulation at 1 Year
May 22nd 2019During Digestive Disease Week 2019, held May 18-21 in San Diego, California, researchers presented the 1-year results of a phase 1 trial of subcutaneous CT-P13 versus the intravenous formulation of the biosimilar in patients with Crohn disease (CD).
FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Comparative Analytical Assessment for Biosimilars
May 21st 2019The FDA today released draft guidance on the design and evaluation of comparative analytical studies that are intended to support a demonstration of biosimilarity. A previous draft guidance document on statistical approaches to evaluate analytical similarity was withdrawn in June 2018.
Data Support Advanced Preparation of Reconstituted and Diluted Biosimilar Trastuzumab, SB3
May 21st 2019Extended stability data for the reference Herceptin have been published, supporting advanced preparation and dose banding. Given stability data for SB3 are limited, a new study sought to assess the extended physiochemical stability and bioactivity of the biosimilar and to evaluate the advanced preparation of the reconstituted and diluted product.
Study Highlights Importance of Limiting Glucocorticoid Use in Biologic-Treated Patients With RA
May 21st 2019Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have similar rates of infection after total knee or hip replacement no matter which biologic they take, but those using glucocorticoids, even moderate doses, appear to have an increased risk of postoperative infections, according to a study published today.
US Biosimilar Spending Doubled Last Year, Still Represents Less Than 2% of the Market
May 17th 2019Net spending on biologics totaled $125.5 billion in last year, up 9.5% since 2017. Biosimilar spending has doubled since 2017 but still represents under 2% of the total US biologics market. Biosimilars are used less than one-third of the time, a recent report from IQVIA said.
FDA Approves New Aflibercept Indication Ahead of Competition
May 17th 2019The FDA this week approved Regeneron’s aflibercept (Eylea) to treat all stages of diabetic retinopathy. The regulatory decision makes aflibercept the only anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy approved for 2 dosing regimens in this indication: every 8 weeks or every 4 weeks.
How Do Payers, PBMs Stack Up for Coverage of Autoimmune Disease Drugs?
May 16th 2019With the expanded use of step therapy on the horizon in 2020, an advocacy initiative of rheumatology, arthritis, and gastroenterology and other associations recently released a report “grading” payers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for the extent of their prescription coverage of medications for patients with autoimmune disorders.
Eye on Pharma: NeuClone to Start Phase 1 Trial of Ustekinumab Biosimilar
May 16th 2019NeuClone announced yesterday that it will initiate a phase 1 clinical trial of its ustekinumab biosimilar, referencing Stelara, in the second half of 2019. Ustekinumab, a human interleukin-12 and -23 antagonist, is approved by the FDA to treat plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Crohn disease.