Practice

Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care, a member of the Community Oncology Alliance, and member of The Center for Biosimilars® Advisory Board, glances back at the development of the biosimilar industry and the last 5 years of progress.

The adalimumab biosimilar SB5 was reported to be as safe and effective as the reference product in a review of randomized controlled trials and real-world studies on immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

In its annual biosimilars report, Cardinal Health provided updates on how provider acceptance growth, evolving payer dynamics, and the growing pipeline for biosimilars will shape the biosimilar landscape over the next 5 years.

Researchers found that the total cost of care per oncology episode was significantly lowered when biosimilar substitution was implemented in Medicare’s Oncology Care Model (OCM), suggesting that biosimilar uptake can serve as a critical tool to mitigate risk and improve financial performance for providers.

During a 6-year follow-up period, a UK tertiary hospital observed greater biosimilar adoption than the English average after it implemented a new policy that prioritizes best-value biologics, including biosimilars, for new-start patients and those already treated with originators.

Samsung Bioepis’ Biosimilar Market Report for the first quarter of 2024 chronicles some major market trends, including which treatment spaces have quicker uptake than others, highlighting missed opportunities for savings as well as the 1-year experience of adalimumab biosimilar competition in the US.

Biosimilar uptake was greater in Medicare Advantage plans when compared with traditional Medicare plans.

Authors of a review of available postapproval pharmacovigilance data assessing 8 Sandoz biosimilars concluded that these biosimilars “can be used as safely as their respective reference biologics.”

A study examining biosimilar uptake patterns within different health insurance plans found that low-flexibility plans, such as health maintenance organizations and exclusive provider organizations, were more likely to initiate biosimilar therapies than more flexible plans.

IQVIA’s report on the impact biosimilar competition has had on Europe’s health care space identified ongoing challenges with biosimilar access and generating savings, calling for more policies focusing on fostering a sustainable market for years to come.

A recent study found that the COVID-19 pandemic had little impact on the knowledge and attitudes of German and Swiss pharmacists regarding biologics and biosimilars between 2020 and 2022.

Intro to Biosimilars is now in session! Test yourself on how well you know these biosimilar basics.

Two Taiwanese posters presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2023 annual meeting evaluated the real-world implications of using trastuzumab biosimilars, particularly Ogivri (trastuzumab-dkst) in patients with HER2-postive breast cancer.

A review article discussed the characteristics of the available adalimumab biosimilars to help clinicians navigate the various treatment options with their patients.

A simulation study estimated the impact of biosimilar substitution on total cost of care (TCOC) and provider financial performance in the final performance period of the Oncology Care Model.

A survey explores the experiences of health care providers (HCP) in New Zealand throughout the transition process following a mandatory switch from the adalimumab originator (Humira) to a biosimilar in 2022.

A report from IQVIA noted that Europe could miss out on €15 billion in cost savings by not having biosimilars for medications about to lose market exclusivity, shedding light on the implications for overall health care savings and ultimately, patient access.

Although biosimilars have already generated savings for Medicare Part B programs and beneficiaries, opportunities for substantial reductions in spending remain, according to a report from the HHS.

A China-based study where data were collected from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) showed safety and efficacy of the adalimumab biosimilar HS016.

A retrospective study of New England patients receiving trastuzumab or bevacizumab found that combining dose rounding and biosimilar use resulted in greater cost savings than either strategy alone.

In part 3 of a 3-part series for Global Biosimilars Week, The Center for Biosimilars® reviews an analysis investigating whether clinical efficacy studies have an impact on prescribing decisions for oncology biosimilars across Europe.

At the recent Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus meeting, panelists discussed the impact of introducing biosimilars in new medical fields, emphasizing the need for more education and collaboration to ensure their smooth integration into health care systems.

The use of biosimilars of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors within Poland’s public payer saved over €243 million from 2013 to 2021, with about 68% of that coming from the rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases alone.

An international survey found that providers agree that use of biosimilars in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is safe and effective in both patients who are treatment-naïve and those who are already being treated with a reference agent.

A poster from AMCP Nexus quantifies trends in biosimilar coverage within Tufts Medical Center, finding that payer coverage of these products has increased but individual preferences among payers still vary.

Samsung Bioepis’ most recent biosimilar market report identified inconsistent medical guidelines, challenges with access and rebates, and acute vs chronic treatment duration as major factors influencing biosimilar uptake in the United States.

Researchers of a literature review found similar safety profiles between biosimilar pegfilgrastim and its reference product (Neulasta) across several phase 1 and phase 3 clinical trials.

An international comparative analysis found that the level of biosimilar market sustainability differs between countries, largely due to variances in biosimilar policies and years of experience managing a biosimilar market.

A collaborative exercise with 16 health care organizations nets millions in savings.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease who underwent a switch from reference infliximab to a biosimilar and then back to the originator were more likely to discontinue their treatment than patients who underwent a single switch from the originator to a biosimilar.