Skylar Jeremias

Between congressional hearings and executive orders, experts had plenty to draw on when dissecting the barriers to biosimilar access at Festival of Biologics USA to close out April 2025.

Thriving in the evolving biosimilar market demands bold collaboration, early global partnerships, and a fresh approach to development strategies to overcome uncertainty and drive future success.

Here are the top 5 biosimilar articles for the week of April 21, 2025.

Biosimilars are proving to be a game-changing solution in the fight against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), offering a cost-effective alternative to biologics with similar efficacy and safety, while innovative drug delivery systems promise to further enhance treatment outcomes and accessibility for millions worldwide.

Sandoz's antitrust suit against Amgen, the FDA’s interchangeability designation for Celltrion’s adalimumab biosimilar, and the inclusion of an ustekinumab biosimilar in Costco’s prescription program highlight growing momentum to expand biosimilar access and affordability for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.

To help bring down sky-high drug prices, President Donald Trump signed an executive order pushing for faster biosimilar development, more transparency, and tougher rules on pharmacy benefit managers—aiming to save billions and make meds more affordable for everyone.

States with fewer restrictions on biosimilar substitution tend to see higher uptake of interchangeable insulin glargine, showing how even small policy details can significantly influence biosimilar adoption and expand access to more affordable insulin.

During Q1 2025, pharmaceutical companies accelerated biosimilar expansion through strategic acquisitions and partnerships in hopes of boosting patient access to lower-cost treatments in immunology and oncology.

Lawmakers and expert witnesses emphasized the potential of biosimilars to lower health care costs by overcoming barriers like pharmacy benefit manager practices, limited awareness, and regulatory delays to improve access and competition in chronic disease management during a recent congressional hearing.

Biocon Biologics expands its oncology biosimilar roster after gaining FDA approval for Jobevne (bevacizumab-nwgd), the sixth biosimilar referencing Avastin (bevacizumab).

Teva and Samsung Bioepis have launched Epysqli, a cost-saving Soliris biosimilar, offering a 30% discount and new hope for patients with rare, life-threatening hematologic conditions.

Early market entry, manufacturing efficiency, and market share are critical to biosimilar development success, while technical complexity and competition heavily impact returns, according to a study presenting a risk-adjusted net present value (NPV) analysis framework.

High adherence rates, comparable clinical effectiveness, and cost savings have marked the early adoption of adalimumab biosimilars in the US, particularly in formulary-driven transitions, as shown in 2 retrospective studies presented at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy annual meeting (AMCP 2025).

As the biosimilar industry celebrates a decade of growth, the market continues to evolve with expanded treatment options, cost savings, and a flurry of new competitors—yet regulatory challenges, market dynamics, and patient accessibility remain key hurdles to unlocking its full potential.

Alvotech's 427% revenue surge in 2024—fueled by its biosimilar portfolio and global expansion—highlights the booming profitability of biosimilars despite financial hurdles.

Switching between adalimumab products does not affect drug effectiveness or treatment duration in patients who have psoriasis, according to a Danish study.

Tendering emerged as the most effective strategy for reducing costs and increasing biosimilar uptake in the retail setting, while price-linked discounts and prescribing quotas have shown mixed or uncertain results.

Patients with diabetic macular edema previously treated with a ranibizumab biosimilar in India experience comparable safety and efficacy after being switched to another ranibizumab biosimilar, demonstrating real-world safety of biosimilar-to-biosimilar switching.

Biocon’s ustekinumab biosimilar matched reference ustekinumab in efficacy and safety, while an adalimumab biosimilar proved interchangeable with reference adalimumab, according to posters at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting.

Global biosimilar regulatory harmonization will be needed to reduce development costs and improve patient access, despite challenges posed by differing national requirements and regulatory frameworks, according to review authors.

The introduction of biosimilars in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is raising concerns among physicians about cost-driven mandates and the autonomy to choose the best therapies for their patients, according to Paul Hahn, MD, PhD, FASRS, a retina specialist at NJ Retina.

Celltrion and Formycon with Fresenius Kabi launched their respective ustekinumab biosimilars (Steqeyma and Otulfi), joining 4 others that launched earlier this year.

Despite saving billions, biosimilars still account for only a small share of the biologics market—what's standing in the way of broader adoption and how can artificial intelligence (AI) help change that?

Celltrion's Omlyclo (omalizumab-igec) is the first omalizumab biosimilar to be approved for US patients, and it was approved with interchangeability, making it easier for patients to switch to the Xolair competitor.

Since the FDA’s groundbreaking approval of Zarxio in 2015, the US biosimilars market has surged to 67 approvals across 18 originators—though the journey has been anything but smooth, with adoption facing hurdles along the way.

The approvals for Celltrion's denosumab-bmwo (Stoboclo and Osenvelt) mark the third FDA green light for a biosimilar to treat osteoporosis and bone metastases.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who switched from reference adalimumab (Humira) to a biosimilar under a mandatory nonmedical switching policy maintained long-term safety, efficacy, and treatment persistence comparable to those who remained on the originator drug, according to a Canadian study.

Three ustekinumab biosimilars enter the US market, expanding access to more affordable options referencing Stelara (ustekinumab), one of the most profitable drugs in the world.

On this episode of Not So Different, we explore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) second interim report on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) with Joe Wisniewski from Turquoise Health, discussing key issues like preferential reimbursement, drug pricing transparency, biosimilars, shifting regulations, and how a second Trump administration could reshape PBM practices.

Celltrion expands its reach in Europe, securing marketing authorization from the European Commission (EC) for its denosumab biosimilar candidate (Stoboclo and Osenvelt) and its aflibercept biosimilar (Eydenzelt).