- Bone Health
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Respiratory
- Dermatology
- Diabetes
- Gastroenterology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Rare Disease
- Rheumatology
Kashyap Patel, MD, Highlights the Struggles of Using Pegfilgrastim Biosimilars During the Pandemic
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states, Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, provides insight into how biosimilar pegfilgrastims can help reduce costs; however, not all payers are on board.
Increasing the use of biosimilar pegfilgrastims can save patients and practices money as COVID-19 cases continue to surge; however, some payers are still preventing providers from utilizing them, according to Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates.
Transcript:
How is the resurgence of the pandemic in South Carolina affecting your pegfilgrastim prescribing habits?
Patel: We are going to increase use of pegfilgrastim more and more and more. I had a pretty long email chain of a literal argument with one big payer saying that you cannot afford to overlook patient safety at the cost of saving money. And I hate to say this, but a couple of third party pathway companies still have not updated their guidelines, even though NCCN [National Comprehensive Cancer Network], ASCO [American Society for Clinical Oncology], and all the other bodies have recommended that, even for patients who are getting a chemotherapy regimen that carries intermediate risk of neutropenia during the pandemic, they recommend considering use of pegfilgrastim. And, in particular for our area, I think I would look at biosimilar pegfilgrastim, simply because this would be less expensive. But some payers are still giving us a hard time, and what they don't realize is that I'm trying to minimize my workflow interruption and optimize the efficiency. It's just been challenging, but we'll do our best to sustain and see where we go.
A Banner Year for Biosimilars: The 19 FDA Approvals From 2024
January 21st 2025In 2024, the FDA approved 19 biosimilars across various therapeutic areas, including the first biosimilars for ustekinumab and denosumab, marking significant progress in expanding treatment options and market competition.
Biosimilars in America: Overcoming Barriers and Maximizing Impact
July 21st 2024Join us as we explore the complexities of the US biosimilars market, discussing legislative influences, payer and provider adoption factors, and strategies to overcome industry challenges with expert insights from Kyle Noonan, PharmD, MS, value & access strategy manager at Cencora.
The Next Frontier: Oncology Biosimilars in 2025 and Beyond
January 13th 2025The US oncology biosimilar market has rapidly evolved since its launch in 2017, driven by steep price discounts, payer adoption, and provider confidence, with an upcoming wave of biosimilars targeting blockbuster biologics promising further market growth, cost savings, and broader patient access.
Biosimilars Oncology Roundup for June 2024—Podcast Edition
July 7th 2024On this episode of Not So Different, we review biosimilar news coming out of June, with clinical trial results from conferences and a study showcasing how to overcome economic and noneconomic barriers to oncology biosimilars.
How Vertical Integration Drives Innovation and Access in Biosimilars
December 27th 2024Elie Bahou, PharmD, highlights how vertical integration in the biosimilar industry streamlines costs, improves supply reliability, accelerates market adoption, and enhances patient access, while emphasizing the value of collaboration, quality control, and value-based contracts for sustainable health care delivery.
Top 5 Most-Read Oncology Articles of 2024
December 24th 2024The top 5 oncology biosimilar articles in 2024 cover Duke's recommendations for cell and gene therapy biosimilars, FDA approval of Shanghai Henlius Biotech's trastuzumab biosimilar, Boehringer Ingelheim layoffs, the safety of rituximab biosimilar CT-P10, and more.
