"Not So Different": The Year in US Regulatory Activity for Biosimilars

The legal and common uses of “interchangeability” continue to be conflated.

Fran Gregory, PharmD, MBA, vice president of emerging therapies at Cardinal Health, examines the evolution of the oncology biosimilar space in this special episode of Not So Different to close out Global Biosimilars Week 2023.

Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD, offers hope for the end of interchangeability labels in the United States in his latest column.

On 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.

The FDA introduced a plan to improve clinical trials, including a provision to possibly eliminate clinical efficacy testing for biologic products, which evidence has suggested may not be necessary, according to Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD.

The FDA approved Amgen’s Wezlana (ustekinumab-auub) as the first biosimilar to reference Stelara (ustekinumab). The biosimilar was also approved with an interchangeability designation.