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Simon Rule, MD: Subcutaneous Rituximab Versus an Intravenous Biosimilar
Simon Rule, MD, Plymouth University Medical School, discusses the role of biosimilar rituximab in the era of subcutaneous reference rituximab in oncology.
Transcript
I don’t know if you know that in the [United Kingdom, UK], biosimilar rituximab has taken the entire market. There’s no biosimilar subcutaneous, but the biosimilar intravenous basically has had a massive impact with respect to cost. The biosimilar that’s used in the UK was over 40% cheaper than the MabThera. From a healthcare system that buys a lot of drug, that’s a big, big impact. So from an intravenous point of view, we’re using the biosimilar. I don’t have a choice; that’s what we’re doing. But of course there's only 1 subcutaneous.
Certainly in the maintenance setting, the hidden costs of somebody being in a chair all afternoon versus the subcutaneous are massive. Even within the [National Health Service, NHS], that’s recognized. So subcutaneous within a maintenance setting is allowed. I think in maintenance, you need to give the subcutaneous. You could argue whether intravenous when you’re giving somebody intravenous chemotherapy is cost effective or not, and maybe it is because the patient is in the chair anyway. So that’s perhaps where you could argue for a biosimilar intravenous, but certainly maintenance, I don’t think there’s any role for an intravenous formulation over a subcutaneous one.
Q&A With Dr Chelsee Jensen: Navigating FDA Approvals, Challenges in the Biosimilar Landscape
January 14th 2024Chelsee Jensen, PharmD, BCPS, senior pharmacy specialist and pharmaceutical formulary manager at Mayo Clinic, reacts to the biggest FDA approvals of 2023 and how she sees the adalimumab, natalizumab, and tocilizumab spaces playing out.
Decoding the Patent Puzzle: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Biosimilars
March 17th 2024On this episode of Not So Different, Ha Kung Wong, JD, an intellectual patent attorney and partner at Venable LLP, details the confusing landscape that is the US patent system and how it can be improved to help companies overcome barriers to biosimilar competition.
IGBA 2023: Dr Monique Mansoura Highlights the Intersection of Geopolitical Issues, Biopharma
February 19th 2023COVID-19 allowed governments to critically examine the biopharma space to increase access to vaccines, but there's still a way to go, according to Monique Mansoura, PhD, MBA, executive director of global health security and biotechnology at the MITRE Corporation, at the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association’s annual meeting.
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.
