Dr Sonia Oskouei Predicts How Bevacizumab Use Will Evolve in Ophthalmology

The use of bevacizumab products for ophthalmic conditions will continue to evolve as the market grows. However, off-label usage will likely be the norm, according to Sonia T. Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA, vice president of biosimilars at Cardinal Health, at Asembia’s Specialty Pharmacy Summit.

Transcript

Do you think that the potential for more bevacizumab biosimilars coupled with the recent approval of Alymsys will encourage more companies to seek indication expansions for ophthalmic conditions?

Oskouei: The role of bevacizumab in ophthalmology use is likely to continue to evolve. So, today you have off-label Avastin [reference bevacizumab] being used as one of the most common anti-VEGF [vascular endothelial growth factor] treatment options for retina conditions. However, we now have Avastin or bevacizumab biosimilars, but these are primarily being used in oncology indications. But the reason why this is going to continue to evolve is you also have Outlook Therapeutics with a bevacizumab candidate [Lytenava; ONS-5010; bevacizumab-vikg] that is seeking on-label indication for ophthalmology use.

So, these dynamics are going to shift the types of use for the product and the treatment plan when evaluating treatment options for retina conditions. But not only do you have the bevacizumab scenario and dynamics going on, you also have increasing market entrance of additional innovative treatment options for ophthalmology. And I really believe these past couple years and a couple of years moving forward is a very innovative time period for ophthalmology treatment options. We have new treatment options, from port delivery systems to novel mechanisms of actions, coming into market and competing both with originator biologics and biosimilars.

So, I don't particularly foresee that bevacizumab biosimilars are going to start competing or seeking additional indications in ophthalmology, especially because the originator product does not have it as an on-label indication. However, I think the use of the product is going to continue to evolve as these market dynamics evolve.