The Biosimilars Forum's Julie Reed on What She's Learned From Her Work With Pfizer, Coherus, and Hospira

Julie M. Reed, the new executive director of the Biosimilars Forum, talks about her experiences working with some of the biggest names in the biosimilars space and what she's taking with her into her new role.

Transcript:

How has your work with Pfizer, Hospira, and Coherus Biosciences shaped your approach to biosimilars during your time at the Forum?

Reed: I'm probably one of the luckiest people in the world to have worked for those companies and to see the evolution. First of all with Hospira, to be a spearhead in creating and driving with our other members to see that the biosimilars pathway is here, not just in the US but in other regions around the world. So, that has been incredible. And to work on the regulations when I was with Hospira--the regulations we see today were not even written. So, from being part of that conversation and helping to develop the foundation of this marketplace has been incredible.

Coherus Biosciences, that was a great experience in that Coherus, with Udenyca [bevacizumab biosimilar], the scientists at Coherus and the team, to having a small startup mentality, the proactiveness [of the compnay], and Dennis M. Lanfear, the CEO of Coherus and one of my favorite people, and in their physicians are incredible. To have the Udenyca biosimilar launch and for them to lead the science of the analytics on that biosimilar and to evolve that so that biosimilars can be developed without clinical trials is massive. They are so innovative and so scientifically grounded and everything. It was great.

And then, to come to Pfizer, they're leaders in biosimilars they understand and believe that market competition is the way to lower costs and biosimilars are awaiting to have lower costs, have free market competition, have greater access. At the same time, they balance their innovative portfolio and they're focused on patients. And so, Pfizer is an incredible company. So, I think I'm pretty lucky to be where I've been and have what I've learned from all these great companies and just be in this space. It's true. I just feel that way.