Biosimilars: biologics that meet patients' needs and healthcare economics

Am J Manag Care. 2016 Sep;22(13 Suppl):S439-S442.

Abstract

Biologics have revolutionized medical care, yet uniform access to these effective medicines remains difficult due to the increasing costs of healthcare. As patent exclusivity on the early biologics wanes, regulatory and legal systems are adapting to bring competition to the field in the form of biosimilars. Biosimilars are biologics that offer the same clinical benefit in one or more of the same indications as the reference biologic drug and bring competition to the biologics space. Legislation creating a pathway resulting in the first US approvals of biosimilars has been in place since 2010, but the regulatory methodology and science of evaluating the sameness of two biologics has been in use for decades. The demonstration of biosimilarity is based on the "totality of the evidence" concept, in which all structural, functional, nonclinical, and clinical data for a biosimilar product are evaluated to show high similarity to the reference product. Clinical trials for biosimilars, therefore, are designed to confirm similarity, or discover clinically relevant differences between the reference product and the biosimilar, should differences exist. It is hoped that competition from biosimilars will drive biologic innovation and increase patient access to biologics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biological Products / economics
  • Biological Products / therapeutic use
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / economics*
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / pharmacology*
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / therapeutic use
  • Drug Approval
  • Drug Costs
  • Female
  • Health Care Costs*
  • Health Services Accessibility*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Needs Assessment
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care*
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

  • Biological Products
  • Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals