News

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.

Elena Wolff-Holz, MD, global head of clinical development at Biocon Biologics, discussed the approval of BMAb-1200, a biosimilar to reference ustekinumab for psoriasis, highlighting comparable efficacy and safety data while noting challenges in global patient recruitment and regulatory navigation.

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.

Here are the top 5 biosimilar articles for the week of April 7, 2025.

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.

Affirming that analytical characterization is often sufficient for biosimilar approval, minimizing unnecessary clinical testing, and enhancing FDA-led education to counter stakeholder misconceptions are key recommendations put forth in this opinion piece by Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD.

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).

Here are the top 5 biosimilar articles for the week of March 31, 2025.

The ranibizumab biosimilar Ongavia exhibited significantly less improvement in visual acuity and retinal thickness compared with aflibercept (Eylea) in treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), highlighting a potential trade-off between economic savings and clinical efficacy.

Bevacizumab biosimilars Mvasi and Zirabev provided cost savings for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment without compromising effectiveness.

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.

Josh Canavan, PharmD, RazorMetrics, and Chris O'Dell, Turquoise Health, predict pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) will evolve toward value-based care, mirroring the broader shift toward open-cost structures.

Here are the top 5 biosimilar articles for the week of March 24, 2025.

The FDA approved another set of denosumab biosimilars, Conexxence/Bomyntra (denosumab-bnht), expanding treatment options for osteoporosis, bone metastases, and other bone-related conditions, amidst a flurry of similar approvals and legal settlements.

Pharmacists play an essential role in counseling patients on biosimilar substitution protocols and following state regulations regarding interchangeable medications.

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

Biosimilar natalizumab demonstrated comparable efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity to reference drug Tysabri in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), supporting its potential as a cost-effective treatment option.

Monoclonal antibodies lead biosimilar approvals because of their large market size, well-defined regulatory pathways, and technological feasibility, whereas other biologics encounter development challenges but may see increased adoption as regulatory frameworks advance.

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who switched to the infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 had higher treatment persistence (84% and 91%) than those new to infliximab (66% and 53%), with no new safety concerns.

Here are the top 5 biosimilar articles for the week of March 17, 2025.

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.

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.