Kelly Davio


NHS Publishes Update on the Use of Biosimilars

June 05, 2019

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) has published a new document for clinical and nonclinical stakeholders about the role of biosimilars in the healthcare system. The guidance document, says the NHS, is intended to support the safe, effective, consistent use of biologics, including biosimilars, to the benefit of patients.

Real-World Data Underscore the Safety and Highlight the Acceptance of Biosimilar Rituximab

June 04, 2019

While no biosimilar rituximab products have yet become available in the United States, biosimilar rituximab products are available in the European Union, and data on their use, published concurrently with the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, highlight not only their safety but also their growing acceptance among prescribers in Europe.

Phase 3 and Postmarketing Data Support the Efficacy and Safety of Biosimilar Trastuzumab, Ogivri

June 04, 2019

During this week’s 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, researchers presented the final overall survival results from the phase 3 HERITAGE study of biosimilar trastuzumab, Ogivri. In addition, another research group shared its findings on postmarketing surveillance of Ogivri in Brazil.

Biosimilar Pegfilgrastim Can Increase Access, but Patient Perception Remains a Biosimilar Barrier

June 03, 2019

During the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, researchers said that, for payers with large populations, the discounted biosimilar pegfilgrastim can produce substantial cost savings that can be applied to offer increased access to supportive care.

No Significant Difference in EFS, OS Between Herceptin and Biosimilar, Ontruzant, at 3 Years

June 03, 2019

Between patients treated with the biosimilar and those treated with the reference product who were not exposed to lots of Herceptin with lower antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, no difference was observed in event-free survival (EFS) or overall survival (OS).

Bevacizumab Could Help Patients With NSCLC Who Cannot Receive PD-1 Inhibitors

June 02, 2019

“Our results suggest that in patients with a contraindication to immunotherapy, such as connective tissue, rheumatologic, or interstitial lung disease, bevacizumab may be a reasonable alternative, instead of pembrolizumab, to add to carboplatin-pemetrexed,” said lead author, Stephen J. Bagley, MD, MSCE, assistant professor of hematology-oncology at Abramson Cancer Center, in a statement.

In the Changing Biosimilar Landscape, Canadian Rheumatology Association Updates Its Position

May 30, 2019

The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) has issued an update to its position statement on biosimilars. In the document, the CRA says that evidence for the risk/benefit ratio for biosimilars is accruing rapidly, and physicians must demonstrate fiscal responsibility while providing the best care possible to individual patients.

Switching to Biosimilar Etanercept, Erelzi, Does Not Impact Efficacy, Safety, or Immunogenicity in RA

May 30, 2019

Researchers are reporting switching data from the phase 3 EQUIRA study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), demonstrating that a single switch from the reference to the biosimilar had no impact on efficacy, safety, or immunogenicity of etanercept.

Real-World Data Suggest CT-P13 Carries Lower Risk of Infection Than Remicade

May 29, 2019

Infliximab and its biosimilars are often used as a treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC), and recent years have seen the collection of real-world data on the use of biosimilar CT-P13 (Inflectra, Remsima) that confirm the product’s equivalent efficacy to that of the reference, Remicade. One newly published study, which assessed patient data from a French nationwide health administrative database, found that not only is biosimilar CT-P13 as effective as the reference product in treating UC, it may also have a lower risk of serious infections.