Biosimilars

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A large prospective study of the use of Rituxan (rituximab) and a biosimilar, Novex, has yielded safety data validating the use of this agent in pediatric patients with a wide range of diseases and conditions, ranging from oncologic and hematologic to neurologic.

Off-label Avastin, Eylea and Lucentis are the primary treatments for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness. A recent review article looked at the impediments to the biosimilars for these drugs Ophthalmologists are wary about using biosimilars to Avastin (which was approved as a cancer drug) for AMD. Biosimilars to Eylea and Lucentis are not on the market yet. Manufacturers’ rebates and Medicare Part B “buy and bill” policies could make it difficult for them to compete against their brand-name “originator” products.

2021 was an outstanding year for biosimilar medications, as they increased market share and adoption by healthcare providers and the first biosimilar and interchangeable insulin was approved by the FDA. Take a look at Managed Healthcare Executive's top four biosimilar developments of 2021.

A large Netherlands study demonstrated that rituximab biosimilars (R-biosimilars) produced a 43% reduction in annual costs. In addition, three-year overall survival did not differ between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and those receiving rituximab, according to the researchers.

In this second part of a two-part video series, Briana Contreras, associate editor of MHE caught up with MHE Editorial Advisory Board member David Calabrese, who is market president of Health Plans/PBMs at OptumRx. Calabrese shared his thoughts on the approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, as well as the Biden Administration's interest in putting more generics and biosimilars in the market.