Apobiologix, a division of Apotex, launched its pegfilgrastim biosimilar, Lapelga, in Canada this week. The company’s product, which gained Health Canada’s authorization in 2018, was the first biosimilar pegfilgrastim to be approved in any highly regulated territory.
Apobiologix, a division of Apotex, launched its pegfilgrastim biosimilar, Lapelga, in Canada this week. The company’s product, which gained Health Canada’s authorization in 2018, was the first biosimilar pegfilgrastim to be approved in any highly regulated territory.
"With the availability of both Lapelga and [Apobiologix’s filgrastim biosimilar] Grastofil in Canada, patients have even better access to affordable, innovative and effective biological drugs, while delivering significant cost savings to the healthcare system," said Klaus Martin, PhD, president of Apobiologix, in a statement announcing the drug’s launch. According to the company, the pegfilgrastim and filgrastim biosimlars together offer Canada a savings of more than CAD $42 million (US $32 million) annually.
A summary dossier for the drug produced by The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), the Canadian entity responsible for health technology assessments, indicates that Apobiologix has asked for its biosimilar to be listed as the preferred pegfilgrastim product for reimbursement.
The CADTH dossier also includes pricing information; Apobiologix submitted its biosimilar at a 25% discount relative of the reference pegfilgrastim, Neulasta. Despite the substantial discount, CADTH notes that some patients who are candidates for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor drugs can be treated with either pegfilgrastim or filgrastim, so the cheaper, short-acting filgrastim must also be considered a price comparator for Lapelga.
If health plans are convinced that the biosimilar savings are adequate, the biosimilar could increase patient access to pegfilgrastim in Canada; currently, the reference Neulasta is not reimbursed by the majority of drug plans. In fact, says CADTH, only 2 provinces—Alberta and Manitoba—reimburse for Neulasta, and only on a case-by-case basis. However, 8 provinces reimburse for at least 1 dosing regimen of biosimilar filgrastim.
At least 1 health plan has signaled that it intends to capture biosimilars savings with the launch of the new option; in a fall 2018 communication, Green Shield Canada indicated that, in keeping with its biosimilars policy (under which it prefers biosimilars to their reference products in all cases), Lapelga, which is on a high-tier specialty classification, will be covered under a full benefit, while the brand-name Neulasta will only be covered in exceptional circumstances.
Global Biosimilar Market Projected to Reach $1.3 Trillion by 2032
April 11th 2024The global biosimilar market is projected to surge from $25.1 billion in 2022 to approximately $1.3 trillion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 17.6%, driven mainly by the increasing prevalence of cancer and the cost-effectiveness of biosimilars, as outlined in a report by Towards Healthcare.
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.
Study: More Biosimilar Competition Is Not Lowering Patient OOP Costs
March 29th 2024Despite more biosimilars entering the market and generating significant savings for payers and health care systems, these savings are not resulting in lower out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for patients, according to a recent study.
Biosimilar Business Roundup for October 2023—Podcast Edition
November 5th 2023On this episode, we discuss the biggest news to come out of October 2023, including 3 regulatory approvals, 2 complete response letters, and new data and industry insights that have the potential to impact the entire US biosimilar industry.
Coherus Biosciences Cites Biosimilars as Main Drivers of 2023 Revenue Growth
March 14th 2024In its earnings report for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, Coherus Biosciences detailed its rising revenue growth, which it partly attributed to increased sales for its pegfilgrastim and ranibizumab biosimilars.