Author byline as per print journal: Sandeep N Athalye1, MBBS, MD; Dev B Baruah1, MPharm; Shivani Mittra1, MPharm, PhD; Ankit Ranpura1, MD; Kuldeep Kumar1, PhD; Elena Wolff-Holz2, MD Abstract: Ethnic sensitivity assessments in the form of bridging pharmacokinetics (PK) studies are often needed for biosimilar monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to meet regulatory requirements in regions like…

biosimilar development, ethnic sensitivity assessments, global access, monoclonal antibodies, multi-regional clinical trials, regulatory reforms

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1202.010

Author byline as per print journal: Jiayin Zheng1, PhD; Peijin Wang`2, MS; Yixin Wang3, PhD; Shein-Chung Chow2, PhD Abstract: For the biosimilarity assessment between a test product and a reference product, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a stepwise approach for obtaining totality-of-the-evidence in support of regulatory approval of the submission. The stepwise…

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1202.009

Author byline as per print journal: Michael S Reilly, Esq; Jane Barratt, PhD Introduction: The first biosimilar entered the Canadian market in 2009 and the first ophthalmic biosimilar was approved in 2022. In 2022, the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM) and the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) asked prescribing ophthalmology physicians in Canada for…

biologicals, biosimilars, Canada, ophthalmology

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1202.008

Editor's Letter

Published on 14 September 2023

Extrapolation requires reading between the lines

The articles in this second issue of 2023 include an Original Research (Internet questionnaire) of the ‘opinions’ of Canadian ophthalmologists, a Review Article describing a statistical method to assess the ‘drift’ in the attributes of a reference, originator biological product, a Perspective (opinion) article questioning the value of ethnic sensitivity studies (ESS) in the evaluation of…

Author(s): Professor Philip D Walson, MD

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1202.007

Author byline as per print journal: Michael S Reilly, Esq; Gail Attara; Ralph D McKibbin, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF; Professor Philip J Schneider, MS, FASHP, FASPEN, FFIP Introduction: Biosimilars are now key players in the global drugs market offering potentially more affordable treatment options with similar safety and efficacy. However, there are concerns about non-medical…

biologicals, biosimilars, forced-switching, interchangeable biosimilar, non-medical switching

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.006

Author byline as per print journal: Sandeep N Athalye, MBBS, MD; Shivani Mittra, MPharm, PhD; Ankitkumar M Ranpura, MD Abstract: The sky-rocketing cost of developing biosimilars is becoming a shared deterrent for biosimilar developers. The regulatory requirements for biosimilars must see a natural evolution and a paradigm shift towards removing inefficiencies in clinical designs to…

biosimilars, immunogenicity, interchangeability, switch studies

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.005

Author byline as per print journal: Chuei Wuei Leong1, PhD; Elton Sagim1, BBiomedSc, Kar Ming Yee1, BPharm; Muhammad Shalhadi Saharuddin1, BSc; Sharifah Radziah Syed Abd Rahim1, MSc; Khairil Sabri1, BSc; Mohd Zulhairi Jamaluddin1, BSc; Shahnun Ahmad1, MBBS; Atiqah Amran1, BSc; Rabab F Tayyem2, PhD Introduction/Study Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the comparative bioavailability…

bioequivalence, new branded generics, sitagliptin hydrochloride, sitagliptin phosphate

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.004

Author byline as per print journal: Chuei Wuei Leong1, PhD; Elton Sagim1, BBiomedSc; Kar Ming Yee1, BPharm; Muhammad Shalhadi Saharuddin1, BSc; Nik Mohd Zulhakimi Nik Abdullah1, BSc; Noramirah Farhanah Saberi1, BSc; Rajavikraman Boopathy1, DipSc; Shahnun Ahmad1, MBBS; Atiqah Amran1, BSc; Raman Batheja2, PhD; Rajan Sharma2>, MBBS; Kiran Kumar Vuppalavanchu2, MPharm Introduction/Study Objectives: The aim of…

bioequivalence, new branded generics, pharmacokinetics, sitagliptin

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.003

Abstract: The Opinion published in this issue of GaBI Journal titled ‘Biosimilars drug development: time for a paradigm shift?’ by Sandeep N Athalye, Shivani Mittra and Ankitkumar M Ranpur proposes a number of changes to the regulatory processes currently in place for biosimilars. This response letter considers the implications and consequences of these. Submitted: 8 December…

Author(s): Robin Thorpe, PhD, FRCPath

biosimilars, clinical trials, guidance, immunogenicity, regulatory

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.002

Editor's Letter

Published on 03 May 2023

Lagging acceptance of generic and biosimilar drug products; the rest of the story

The article in this issue of the GaBI Journal reminded me of The Rest of the Story radio programme originally hosted by Mr Paul Harvey that started each episode with, ‘And now for the rest of the story’. This is because these articles illustrate that sometimes what is not discussed in an article can be…

Author(s): Professor Philip D Walson, MD

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2023.1201.001

Introduction: Biosimilars were first introduced in Europe in 2006 and then in the US in 2015. An online webinar on the successful uptake in Europe and the US was held to discuss measures taken for improving biosimilar uptake, and trends in uptake. Methods: The webinar was held by the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM)…

Author(s): Michael S Reilly, Esq, Professor Philip J Schneider, MS, FASHP, FASPEN, FFIP

biosimilars, health policies, physicians, prescribing, uptake

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2022.1103.018

Abstract: This article describes the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) exploratory study on infliximab as a test case for developing public standards for monoclonal antibodies. The design and outcome of the feasibility study, importance of interaction with stakeholders and the challenges and lessons learned are discussed. Emphasis is put on the approach used to set the…

Author(s): Mihaela Buda, PhD

flexibility, infliximab, monographs, pharmacopoeia, public standards, reference preparations

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2022.1103.017