"Not So Different": Biosimilar Business Updates From the Month of November

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.