Editor's Letter

Published on 16 December 2021

Fourth and final issue of GaBI Journal’s 10th volume

This issue of the GaBI Journal contains only a limited number of articles, but these include two scientific very data-rich articles and an interesting and important expose on the use and misuse of products to treat COVID-19 patients. All three articles have potentially major implications for the global struggle to deal with the current COVID-19…

Author(s): Professor Philip D Walson, MD

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1004.020

Submitted: 14 May 2021; Revised: 14 May 2021; Accepted: 3 June 2021; Published online first: 10 June 2021 Medicines regulatory authorities aim to address rising healthcare costs and promote access to medicines worldwide through review and approval of quality generic drug products that are interchangeable with the corresponding reference medicinal product. The Bioequivalence Working Group…

Author(s): Alfredo García Arieta, PhD, Clare Rodrigues

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.019

Author byline as per print journal: Michael Wilcock, MPhil; Andrew Pothecary, MSc Introduction: Biological medicines are used to treat a range of conditions according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals. The annual drug treatment cost per patient per year varies depending on various factors, including newer or older biological, and…

biologicals, biosimilars, dermatology, psoriasis

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.018

Author byline as per print journal: Adjunct Associate Professor Sia Chong Hock, BSc (Pharm), MSc; Tan Ying Ting, BSc Pharm (Hons); Associate Professor Chan Lai Wah, BSc Pharm (Hons), PhD Hand sanitizers are rub-on formulations for the purpose of inactivating microorganisms on the hands. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in the manufacturing, sale…

effectiveness, hand sanitizers, myths, regulatory framework, safety, standards

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.017

Author byline as per print journal: Professor Philip J Schneider1, MS, FASHP, FASPEN, FFIP; Michael S Reilly2, Esq Canada has approved a total of 36 biosimilars. While the approval of biosimilars is regulated at the national level, decisions about biosimilar substitution are made at the provincial level. Four Canadian provinces, representing around 50% of the…

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

biosimilars, Canada, policy, substitution, switching

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.016

Biosimilars are biological drug products that are highly similar to reference products in analytic features, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, immunogenicity, safety and efficacy. Biosimilar epoetin received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2018 [1]. The manufacturer received an FDA non-approval letter in 2017, despite receiving a favourable review by the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory…

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.015

Author byline as per print journal: Pieter J Glerum1,2, MSc; Mert Hayta1,3, PharmD, MSc; David M Burger4, PharmD, PhD; Cees Neef5, PharmD, PhD; Marcel L Bouvy3, PharmD, PhD; Marc Maliepaard1,6, PhD Background: Drug switching describes switching between drug products with the same active substance. Drug switching occurs commonly in the Netherlands and mostly between generic drug…

Brand-name drugs, drug switching, generic drugs, generics substitution, interchangeability, pharmacy practice

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.014

Author byline as per print journal: Nishalini Harikrishnan1, BSc; Ka-Liong Tan2, DPhil; Kar Ming Yee3, BPharm; Alia Shaari Ahmad Shukri1, MSc; Nalla Ramana Reddy4, MBBS; Chuei Wuei Leong3, PhD Introduction/Study Objectives: A bioequivalence study was performed to compare the pharmacological profile of innovator etoricoxib (ETO) with a newly developed generic ETO, both in a 120…

bioequivalence, COX-2 inhibitor, etoricoxib, generics

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.013

Editor's Letter

Published on 29 September 2021

Latest features in GaBI Journal, 2021, Issue 3

This issue of GaBI Journal contains articles dealing with some very practical issues related to the evaluation, describing, and use of generic and biosimilar products. These issues include the uncertainty associated with extrapolating results of studies that used small, non-representative study populations, study sites, or product types. These problems are evident in the evaluation of…

Author(s): Professor Philip D Walson, MD

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1003.012

Submitted: 15 March 2021; Revised: 17 March 2021; Accepted: 18 March 2021; Published online first: 24 March 2021 Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world today. The development of new drugs can reduce death rates, but these products are extremely expensive in terms of development time and money. This has…

Author(s): GaBI Journal Editor

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1002.011

Author byline as per print journal: Farhang Rezaei, PharmD; Nassim Anjidani, PharmD Background: The advent of follow-on biologicals in Iran and biosimilars worldwide have provided various treatment options for several severe and chronic diseases. The goal of the present study was to provide an overview of their current status in Iran. Methods: A comprehensive search of…

Author(s): Farhang Rezaei, PharmD, Nassim Anjidani, PharmD

biosimilars, Biotechnological therapeutics, follow-on biologics, Iran

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1002.010

Author byline as per print journal: Marta Zuccarelli1, PharmD; Benjamin Micallef1, PharmD; Mark Cilia1, PharmD; Anthony Serracino-Inglott1,2, PharmD; John-Joseph Borg1,3, PhD Introduction/Study Objectives: The development of biosimilars is challenging due to the complexity of the active substances as well as the strict regulatory requirements to show similarity with a reference medicinal product. This review aims…

biosimilars, clinical development programmes, EMA, EPARs, regulatory, safety

DOI: 10.5639/gabij.2021.1002.009