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Novartis Prepares to Defend Omalizumab Market as Potential Biosimilars Advance
In October, the FDA granted approval for a pre-filled syringe formulation of the reference product. Additionally, Novartis is looking to expand omalizumab’s indications, as it recently earned FDA’s breakthrough therapy designation in August 2018 as a treatment for food allergies.
Novartis recently announced that ligelizumab, a monoclonal antibody being investigated for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), will move on to phase 3 trials after demonstrating a clear dose-response relationship and improvements over another 1 of its older products, omalizumab (Xolair), in this cohort.
“Despite existing treatment options, too many people continue to struggle with the debilitating and potentially painful symptoms of CSU. Advancing ligelizumab to phase 3 is encouraging news for physicians and patients who have difficulty in controlling symptoms,” said Marcus Maurer, MD, professor of dermatology and allergy and director of research at the Department of Dermatology and Allergy of Charite-Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, Germany.
The trials come as welcome good news to Novartis, as the company looks to protect market share after omalizumab lost patent protection in the United States in June 2017, and in Europe in August 2017. Though omalizumab biosimilars have yet to be approved in either of the regulatory territories, at least 2 biosimilars are currently in development.
In July 2018, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals announced that its phase 1 study of GBR 310, a proposed omalizumab biosimilar, revealed similar pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, safety, and immunogenicity profiles between its proposed omalizumab biosimilar and the reference Xolair.
Likewise, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc, in collaboration with Mabtech, completed a combined phase 2 and phase 3 trial of STI-004 in China in 2016. Though the developers have not yet announced a filing of a Biologics License Application with the FDA, the potential biosimilar met its primary end point in the multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Novartis, for its part, is fighting back against encroaching challengers in this therapeutic space. In October, the FDA granted approval for a pre-filled syringe formulation of the reference product. Additionally, Novartis is looking to expand omalizumab’s indications, as it recently earned FDA’s breakthrough therapy designation in August 2018 as a treatment for food allergies. In 2017, omalizumab brought in $1.75 billion in the United States alone.
Health Canada Approves First Omalizumab Biosimilar
December 16th 2024Health Canada has approved Omlyclo, the first omalizumab biosimilar in Canada, for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria, allergic asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, based on a phase 3 study confirming its bioequivalence to the reference product.
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.
Commercial Payer Coverage of Biosimilars: Market Share, Pricing, and Policy Shifts
December 4th 2024Researchers observe significant shifts in payer preferences for originator vs biosimilar products from 2017 to 2022, revealing growing payer interest in multiple product options, alongside the increasing market share of biosimilars, which contributed to notable reductions in both average sales prices and wholesale acquisition costs.
Exploring the Biosimilar Horizon: Julie Reed's Predictions for 2024
February 18th 2024On this episode of Not So Different, Julie Reed, executive director of the Biosimilars Forum, returns to discuss her predictions for the biosimilar industry for 2024 and beyond as well as the impact that the Forum's 4 new members will have on the organization's mission.
The Rebate War: How Originator Companies Are Fighting Back Against Biosimilars
November 25th 2024Few biologics in the US have multiple biosimilar competitors, but originator biologics respond quickly to competition by increasing rebates and lowering net prices, despite short approval-to-launch timelines for biosimilars.
