The challenge of follow-on biologics for treatment of multiple sclerosis

Neurology. 2009 Aug 18;73(7):552-9. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181b2a6ce.

Abstract

Intellectual property protections for biologic medicinals for multiple sclerosis (MS) are beginning to expire, opening the possibility of development, regulatory approval, and marketing of so-called follow-on biologics, biosimilars, or subsequent entry biologics that might be offered at lower price to consumers and third-party payers, as has been the case for generic drugs. Determining the comparability of a follow-on biologic to its innovator product is more difficult than for small-molecule drugs because of the greater complexity of biologics and the possibility that manufacturing differences can introduce differences in biologic activity and immunogenicity that could result in unpredictable differences in safety or efficacy. We provide a perspective on issues surrounding development, regulatory approval, and potential use of follow-on biologics, with an emphasis on disease-modifying agents for MS.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biological Products / economics
  • Biological Products / standards*
  • Biological Products / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Approval / methods
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Industry / economics
  • Drug Industry / standards
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / economics
  • Immunologic Factors / pharmacokinetics
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Interferon-beta / economics
  • Interferon-beta / pharmacokinetics
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use
  • Molecular Weight
  • Multiple Sclerosis / therapy*
  • Therapeutic Equivalency

Substances

  • Biological Products
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interferon-beta