Quality assessment of biosimilars in Colombia – reducing knowledge gaps

Abstract: Biosimilar medicines are having a global effect, and as such regulatory agencies worldwide are assessing how to respond to them. Here, two events held by GaBI for the Colombian medicines regulatory agency (INVIMA) are reported. The first was an educational workshop held in 2016 to discuss approaches to evaluating biosimilar products and the second […]


EU Member States have tools to reduce costs of bestseller biologicals but can they use them?

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: […]


Perspectives on the future of pegfilgrastim biosimilars

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: […]


Clear naming, traceability of biological medicines will protect patients

Author byline as per print journal: Adjunct Professor Valderilio Feijó Azevedo, MD, PhD, MBA; Associate Professor Brian Bressler, MD, MS, FRCPC; Madelaine A Feldman, MD, FACR; Professor Alejandro Mercedes, MD Abstract: As more biological medicines and biosimilars become increasingly available worldwide, clear product identification is critical for accurate pharmacovigilance. Submitted: 25 September 2017; Revised: 25 September […]


Biosimilars in Germany: guidance of the Drug Commission of the German Medical Association

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 […]


Pharmacy-mediated substitution of biosimilars – a global survey benchmarking country substitution policies

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 […]


Biosimilars in Italy: what do real-world data reveal?

Author byline as per print journal: Assistant Professor Gianluca Trifirò, MD, PhD; Ylenia Ingrasciotta, MSc; Ilaria Marcianò, MSc; Armando A Genazzani, DPhil, MD Abstract: This paper aims to provide an overview of the available real-world data about the pattern of use and the comparative effectiveness of biosimilars and originator biological drugs in Italy. Different observational studies […]


Trends and challenges in biosimilars pricing and reimbursement policies in Europe and beyond

Abstract: Biosimilars policies are more controversial than those for generics. However, it is only a question of time before progress in biosimilars matches that of generics worldwide. Submitted: 21 April 2017; Revised: 28 April 2017; Accepted: 2 May 2017; Published online first: 15 May 2017 Healthcare systems worldwide are under increasing pressure due to the […]


Roundtable on registries: practical considerations for registries – making them work, London, UK, 26 January 2017

Author byline as per print journal: Stuart Bloom, DM, FRCP; Keith Bodger, MBChB(Honours), MD, FRCP; Fraser Cummings, BMSc(Hons), MBChB, MRCP(UK), DPhil, FRCP; Professor Sarah Garner, BPharm, PhD; Professor Kimme Hyrich, MD, PhD, FRCPC; Clare Jacklin; Professor John G Williams, CBE, FRCP Introduction: Registries collect clinical data to evaluate specified outcomes for a population defined by a particular disease, condition […]


What pricing and reimbursement policies to use for off-patent biologicals in Europe? – results from the second EBE biological medicines policy survey

Author byline as per print journal: Jean-Baptiste Reiland, MSc; Barbara Freischem; Alexander Roediger, MA Introduction/Study objective Biosimilar policies with a focus on uptake have received a lot of attention at national and regional level in the last few years. It is now 10 years since the first biosimilar was approved in the European Union (EU), but […]


Austrian medicines authority positive towards biosimilar interchangeability

Abstract: Clinical evidence supporting biosimilar use is growing and for the first time, the Austrian Medicines and Medical Devices Agency takes a positive position on interchangeability. They now state that prescribing biosimilars to treatment-naïve patients and even a change from originator to biosimilar is appropriate, provided it is done under physician’s supervision. Submitted: 9 January […]


Pharmacovigilance of biosimilars and other biologicals within the hospital: current practices and future challenges

Author byline as per print journal: Barbara OM Claus, PharmD, PhD; Tiene Bauters, PharmD, PhD; Annemie Somers, PharmD, PhD Abstract: In the coming decade, many patents for biological pharmaceuticals will expire. Consequently, the market for biosimilars has the potential to grow rapidly. For safety reasons, the more extensive use of a greater variety of biologicals increases […]