Kelly Davio

November 01, 2018

Given the high burden of cancer in the senior population, and given the increasingly high cost of cancer care, there is a growing interest in value-based oncology care payment models, particularly within CMS.

October 31, 2018

Current treatment for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) commonly focuses on photoprotection, topical therapies, corticosteroids, antimalarial drugs, and immunosuppressive drugs. More recently, B-cell depleting therapies, such as rituximab, have shown promise in treating systemic lupus erythematosus, though the feasibility of treating CLE with rituximab has not been well described.

October 31, 2018

With the launch of some of the most highly anticipated products thus far in the biosimilar experience, and with the release of key new data on multiple biosimilar products, October 2018 was a memorable month for biosimilar stakeholders.

October 30, 2018

In recent years, spending on specialty drugs, including spending on a proliferation of orphan drugs that treat rare diseases, has raised concerns about sustainability of the healthcare system.

October 30, 2018

A recent population-based study examined the prescribing and utilization of CT-P13 versus the reference infliximab in infliximab-naïve patients and found that discontinuation and switching were more common among patients who began therapy with the biosimilar.

October 29, 2018

While real-world data, such as those derived from the NOR-SWITCH study, have been reassuring about the feasibility of switching patients with inflammatory diseases from reference infliximab (Remicade) to biosimilar CT-P13 (sold as Inflectra and Remsima), some ambiguous data in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have raised questions among clinicians about switching in the indications of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.

October 26, 2018

On Thursday, the Trump administration unveiled a new plan that it hopes will reduce Medicare’s costs for prescription drugs. Under the plan, announced by President Donald Trump in a speech made at HHS, CMS could set its prices for some drugs—including high-cost biologics—based on the prices paid in other nations.

October 25, 2018

Pegfilgrastim, a long-acting granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) therapy, has become a key product for the prophylaxis and treatment of febrile neutropenia, and biosimilar options have the potential to reduce the high cost of pegfilgrastim therapy. At the European Society for Medical Oncology 2018 Congress, held October 19-23, 2018, in Munich, Germany, 2 research teams presented on studies assessing proposed pegfilgrastim biosimilar products.

October 25, 2018

Anemia is a common complication for patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, and one that has implications for patients’ quality of life, especially with respect to fatigue. During the European Society for Medical Oncology 2018 Congress, held October 19-23, 2018, in Munich, Germany, Jérôme Desrame, MD, reported on results of the CIROCO study, which assessed fatigue in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia who were treated with biosimilar epoetin alfa.

October 24, 2018

Among European nations, Denmark has had some of the greatest success with leveraging biosimilars to reduce cost burdens on its healthcare system, and during the fifth DIA Biosimilars Conference, held October 22 to 23, 2018, in London, United Kingdom, stakeholders heard directly from Dorthe Bartels, MSc, on how Denmark has achieved its strong biosimilar uptake.