Kelly Davio


Pharmacovigilance Data Show Similar Safety Profiles for Reference and Biosimilar Rituximab

July 11, 2017

Biosimilar rituximab, marketed in Argentina as Novex, is subject to an active pharmacovigilance program that, according to Argentine law, must periodically report its status and results to regulatory authorities. In a recent study, researchers examined pharmacovigilance reports to compare the safety profile of biosimilar rituximab with that of its reference.

French Inspectors Find Major Deficiencies at Biocon's Manufacturing Facility

July 10, 2017

France’s health regulatory body, the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (ANSM), found that Biocon has failed to comply with good manufacturing practice requirements for 3 of its biosimilar products manufactured at the company’s Bommasandra facility in Bangalore, India.

UK Seeks to Collaborate With EMA as Patients Fear Rising Costs, Shrinking Access

July 07, 2017

The UK government sought to reassure citizens this week that “Brexit,” or the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU)—and therefore its withdrawal from the European Medicines Agency (EMA)—would not negatively impact patient access to pharmaceuticals.

The STRONGER Patents Act Could Create Roadblocks for Biosimilars

July 06, 2017

A bipartisan bill, introduced by US Senators Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), seeks to make a number of reforms that would make it easier for innovators—including the manufacturers of reference biologics—to defend against challenges to their patents.

New Data Show Safe Switching From Reference Infliximab to CT-P13 in IBD

July 05, 2017

To date, only limited data have been available concerning long-term clinical outcomes of switching patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from reference infliximab (Remicade) to a biosimilar treatment. A new study concludes that a switch to CT-P13 from reference infliximab was both safe and feasible.

NICE Approves Baricitinib After Maker Prices for Competition With Biologics, Biosimilars

June 30, 2017

The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides value guidance to the National Health Service, has published its final appraisal determination for baricitinib (Olumiant), a Janus kinase inhibitor, recommending use of the drug as an option for treating severe active rheumatoid arthritis.

The Supreme Court's Sandoz v Amgen Ruling Raises as Many Questions as It Resolves

June 29, 2017

On June 28, Elaine Blais and Willy Jay, partners at Goodwin Proctor LLP, held a webinar discussing the Supreme Court’s Decision in the case of Sandoz v Amgen. While the court provided some much-needed clarity surrounding requirements of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act “patent dance,” as Blais and Jay pointed out, the court’s ruling left a number of important questions unresolved.

Some See Potential of Inter Partes Review to Clear the Way for Biosimilars

June 29, 2017

Even as the industry awaited news of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Sandoz v Amgen, many legal experts at the 8th Annual Summit on Biosimilars earlier this month were focused on inter partes review as an alternative to patent litigation under the contentious Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act.

Sandoz Gains European Approval for Erelzi as US Legal Woes Continue

June 27, 2017

Sandoz announced today that is has received approval from the European Commission for its biosimilar etanercept (which will be marketed as Erelzi) for the treatment of multiple inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis.