Oncology Group Says It Has Begun Treating Patients With Biosimilar Trastuzumab and Bevacizumab

OneOncology, a national partnership of community oncology practices, says that its partner practices have begun treating patients with 2 anticancer biosimilars: Kanjinti, a trastuzumab biosimilar referencing Herceptin, and Mvasi, a bevacizumab biosimilar referencing Avastin.

The products, both made by Amgen, were launched in the United States just last month at list prices that represent 15% discounts off the list prices of their respective reference products, though these list prices do not reflect discounts and rebates.

OneOncology says that it has adopted both of the biosimilars as preferred formulary agents as part of its cost-effectiveness strategy.

Jeffrey Patton, MD, OneOncology’s president of physician services, said in a statement that “Making Mvasi and Kanjinti preferred OneOncology agents gives our physicians immediate access to cutting-edge therapies and reinforces our commitment to leading the oncology marketplace and delivering the highest-quality and most cost-effective care to our patients."

Lee Schwartzberg, MD, chief medical officer of OneOncology, added that, "As we begin to incorporate biosimilar medications into our treatment pathways, we will collaborate with our physicians to navigate the fluctuating healthcare landscape and drive initiatives that ensure our clinicians appropriately utilize the right therapeutic sequence at the right time for the right patient."

News that the group has begun to use biosimilars so shortly after their launch comes as welcome news to biosimilar stakeholders; while anticancer biosimilars, including trastuzumab, are already available and widely used in Europe, concerns have persisted that US clinicians might not be swift to adopt biosimilars. In part, those concerns have been related to historically sluggish biosimilar uptake for products in the rheumatology space, but concerns have also surrounded barriers such as provider mistrust and lack of awareness in the oncology setting.

To help remedy those issues, groups like the American Society of Clinical Oncology have stepped up their educational efforts, including issuing a 2018 statement that offered clinicians guidance on using biosimilars in oncology.

In the European context, the European Society of Medical Oncology has also provided extensive educational materials for clinicians, including a 2018 paper that focuses on the integration of biosimilars into routine oncology practice.