Dermatology

Australia’s growing reliance on high-cost biologics for inflammatory skin diseases has placed significant pressure on its health system—but a new report suggests biosimilars could offer financial relief, provided uptake barriers are addressed through policy reform and education.

A wave of biosimilar approvals, aggressive pricing strategies, and a regulatory sea change are setting the stage for unprecedented momentum in the US biologics market, with 2025 already proving to be a landmark year in reshaping cost, access, and innovation across therapeutic areas.

A plain language summary for patients explains there were no differences in safety outcomes between adalimumab-adbm and the originator in a pooled analysis of the VOLTAIRE clinical trials.

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.

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.

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).

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 moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who switched between the adalimumab biosimilar GP2017 and reference adalimumab did not impact immunogenicity, safety, or efficacy following up to 4 switches between both drugs.

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.

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

Adalimumab biosimilars differ from adalimumab in approved indications, concentration and dosage, and formulation.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) saved $67 million in 2023 through its strong adoption of biosimilars to curb the high costs of biologic therapies to treat chronic disease.

2025 marks a pivotal year for biosimilars with Amgen's Wezlana leading ustekinumab biosimilar launches, potentially driving savings and access, as highlighted by Dracey Poore, MS, of Cardinal Health.

Of the 118 biologics losing exclusivity over the next decade, only 10% have biosimilars in development, meaning a vast majority of biologics have no pipeline, which limits savings potential for the health care system.

January 1 marks the launch of the first biosimilar referencing Stelara (ustekinumab) in the US, ushering in a new class of lower-cost medicines for patients with rheumatic and gastrointestinal conditions.

SB5, an adalimumab biosimilar approved in the US, is showing to be safe and effective for patients with psoriasis in the long term, according to a study from the UK and Ireland.

Three players in the biosimilar space have already sparked hope for the new year, with each having big business or regulatory announcements regarding new biosimilar products in Europe and Canada.

In 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.

Functional similarity of the ustekinumab biosimilar ABP 654 (Wezlana) and the reference product (Stelara) was confirmed by a series of in vitro studies, which support the totality of evidence for the biosimliar's FDA approval.

Biosimilar launches achieve a 53% market share and a 53% reduction in average drug costs after 5 years of biosimilar competition, according to Samsung Bioepis’ most recent market report, showcasing notable pricing trends and market share disparities across therapeutic areas.

The nationwide mandatory switch from Humira (reference adalimumab) to biosimilar adalimumab in Denmark led to no increase in total health care costs over 9 months, with significant cost reductions for those who switched to GP2017 specifically, highlighting the economic feasibility of biosimilar adoption.

The FDA approved Celltrion's Steqeyma (ustekinumab-stba), making it the seventh biosimilar slated to compete against blockbuster Stelara (reference ustekinumab) in 2025.

Alvotech and Advanz Pharma have submitted a European marketing application for their golimumab biosimilar to treat inflammatory diseases, while Celltrion secured Korean approval for denosumab biosimilars, and Intas Pharmaceuticals partnered with Xbrane Biopharma on a nivolumab biosimilar.

A French real-world study found that the adalimumab biosimilar SB5 was effective in treating rheumatic or gastrointestinal immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, showing no loss of disease control in switched patients and similar persistence rates between naive and switched groups.

The study highlights the safety, efficacy, and cost benefits of infliximab biosimilars in managing pediatric noninfectious uveitis, showing fewer disease flares and reduced costs compared with reference infliximab, as well as the influence of insurance mandates on treatment decisions.

For the first time, Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) has replaced Humira (reference adalimumab) as AbbVie’s sales driver, largely due to companies encouraging “product hopping” to avoid competition, creating concerns for the sustainability of the burgeoning adalimumab biosimilar market.

Celltrion plans to commercialize 22 biosimilars by 2030, expanding its global presence with robust sales growth driven by core biosimilars and new launches like subcutaneous infliximab.

Panelists emphasized the need for transparency and policy reforms in pharmacy benefit management (PBM) to improve accessibility, affordability, and fair competition for adalimumab biosimilars.

A phase 3, 28-week comparative clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis confirmed similarity of the proposed ustekinumab biosimilar SB17 (Samsung Bioepis) to the reference product (Stelara) in efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity.