Abstract: Major cost savings are achievable in pharmacotherapy in the European Union since biosimilars to most best-selling biological medicinal products have been licensed. Unfortunately, the window of opportunity may be missed since neither national pricing, reimbursement and procurement systems nor prescribers are well prepared for biosimilars’ entry to the market. Submitted: 9 March 2018; Revised:…

Author(s): Adjunct Professor Pekka Kurki, MD, PhD

automatic substitution, biosimilars, cost savings, interchangeability, payers, prescribers

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2018.0701.002

Editor's Letter

Published on 10 January 2018

Editor’s introduction to the initial issue of the seventh volume of GaBI Journal

There are many frustrating differences between reality and what is possible in every aspect of life, including politics, economics, science and health. This issue begins with a Commentary by Adjunct Professor Pekka Kurki about the differences between what could be versus what has been done in the European Union (EU) to reduce biological drug costs.…

Author(s): Professor Philip D Walson, MD

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2018.0701.001

Submitted: 19 June 2017; Revised: 5 September 2017; Accepted: 6 September 2017; Published online first: 19 September 2017 Introduction Comparative research on the European and US generic drug markets based on 2013 IMS data across 13 European countries with different generic drug policies has recently been accepted for publication in the Milbank Quarterly [1], and…

Author(s): GaBI Journal Editor

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.043

Submitted: 17 November 2017; Revised: 20 November 2017; Accepted: 22 November 2017; Published online first: 5 December 2017 The tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor infliximab is known to significantly improve the treatment of inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis. The high cost of biological originators, however, has meant that…

Author(s): GaBI Journal Editor

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.042

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in high-income countries are likely to accept the introduction of generic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, according to a study carried out by researchers in Ireland [1]. Between July and August 2015, a survey of 66 patients was carried out in one-to-one interviews at St James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Descriptive and univariate…

Author(s): GaBI Journal Editor

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.041

Author byline as per print journal: Professor Pere Gascón, MD; Ruediger Jankowsky, PhD; Karsten Roth, PhD Abstract: Cinfa Biotech, the biosimilars specialists of the Cinfa Group, reviewed pegfilgrastim biosimilar approaches to treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Professor Dr Gascón discussed ’perspectives of pegfilgrastim’ and Dr Roth and Dr Jankowsky discussed why biosimilars are vital for oncology care. Submitted:…

Author(s): Karsten Roth, PhD, Professor Pere Gascón, MD, Ruediger Jankowsky, PhD

biosimilars, biotech, G-CSF, neutropenia, pegfilgrastim

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.040

Abstract: This paper highlights differences between USA and Europe when it comes to the interchangeability of biosimilars. The lack of harmonization between USA and Europe may introduce confusion for stakeholders and biosimilars makers and could be delaying access to life-saving treatments. Submitted: 5 December 2017; Revised: 7 December 2017; Accepted: 8 December 2017; Published online…

Author(s): GaBI Journal Editor

biosimilar, EMA, interchangeability

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.039

Abstract: The European Commission held a stakeholder event to discuss biosimilar medicinal products in May 2017. A session on building stakeholder confidence in biosimilar medicines provided an update of the latest available clinical experiences with biosimilar medicines, focusing on switching between biological medicines and interchangeability. Assistant Professor Gianluca Trifirò from the University of Messina, Italy,…

Author(s): Assistant Professor Gianluca Trifirò, MD, PhD

best practice, biosimilar, interchangeability, pharmacovigilance, switching

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.038

Abstract: Biosimilars have been available in Europe for more than 10 years, but their adoption in Germany has not been very successful. As their pharmaceutical quality, efficacy (particularly in extrapolated indications), safety (especially immunogenicity) and interchangeability with reference products have been controversially discussed by healthcare professionals, the Drug Commission of the German Medical Association developed…

Author(s): Professor Wolf-Dieter Ludwig, PhD, Stanislava Dicheva, PhD

biologicals, biosimilars, Germany, guidance, switching

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.037

Author byline as per print journal: Mohammad Bashaar, PhD; Professor Mohamed Azmi Hassali, PhD; Fahad Saleem, PhD Abstract: The soaring costs of medicine are a global dilemma. It was hoped that the concept of essential medicines would help countries and policymakers contain the climbing costs of medicine over the last 40 years. This concept was conceived to…

Author(s): Fahad Saleem, Mohammad Bashaar, Professor Mohamed Azmi Hassali, PhD

access barriers, affordability, essential medicines, medicine prices

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.036

Introduction: Launched in 2015, Zarxio™ (filgrastim-sndz) was the first biosimilar to gain US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. In contrast, the first biosimilar was launched in Europe in 2006. Objective: To identify key biosimilar sales and marketing trends and their drivers, this will enable best practices to be outlined for manufacturers looking to enter…

Author(s): Michael Sarshad, BSc, MBA

biosimilar, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Zarxio

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.035

Introduction/Study objectives: Between March and May 2017, Pfizer conducted an internal global survey of 82 countries examining biosimilar pharmacy-mediated substitution to understand and benchmark the global policy landscape. Methods: Pfizer regulatory and corporate affairs colleagues completed a survey: Are pharmacists in your country able to substitute a biological with a biosimilar without the physician being…

Author(s): Hannah Larkin, Judith Macdonald, Rebecca Lumsden, PhD

biosimilars, global, interchangeability, pharmacy, regulation, substitution

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2017.0604.034