Practice

Ibrutinib, Rituximab for Patients With CLL Superior to Standard Chemoimmunotherapy

August 23rd 2019

By Allison Inserro

“These results will fully usher the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] into a new era,” said Tait Shanafelt, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford. “It seems likely that, in the future, these patients will be able to forego chemotherapy altogether.”

Study of Denmark's Mandatory Etanercept Switch Finds No Obvious Changes in Healthcare Utilization, Costs

August 19th 2019

By Allison Inserro

Researchers examining the mandatory switch of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the originator etanercept (Enbrel) to the biosimilar etanercept (Benepali) found no changes in overall healthcare utilization or cost of healthcare following the switch.

The Top 5 Biosimilars Articles for the Week of August 12

August 16th 2019

The Center for Biosimilars® recaps the top stories for the week of August 12, 2019.

Oncology Specialty Pharmacy Teams Can Help Reduce Patients' Financial Toxicity

August 12th 2019

By Allison Inserro

A recent article described a quality improvement project at the oncology specialty pharmacy unit within the University of Chicago Medicine.

Patients Who Receive Positively Framed Biosimilar Information More Than Twice as Likely to Accept a Switch

August 11th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Among the patients who viewed positively framed video explanations of biosimilars, 67% were willing to switch.

Oncology Group Says It Has Begun Treating Patients With Biosimilar Trastuzumab and Bevacizumab

August 8th 2019

By Kelly Davio

OneOncology, a national partnership of community oncology practices, says that its partner practices have begun treating patients with 2 anticancer biosimilars: Kanjinti, a trastuzumab biosimilar referencing Herceptin, and Mvasi, a bevacizumab biosimilar referencing Avastin.

UK Group Reports on a Successful Switch to Biosimilar Etanercept

August 7th 2019

By Allison Inserro

Anti–tumor necrosis factor medicines are one of the costliest drugs for many health systems, and in the United Kingdom, a recent article described how one clinical commissioning group managed the switch of patients on the originator etanercept (Enbrel) to a biosimilar (Benepali) using a fixed-price model.

Subcutaneous Rituximab Associated With Savings in Time for Patients, Practices Over IV Administration

August 6th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

The retrospective analysis of practice care delivery measures at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center showed substantial time savings for both patients and the healthcare system, researchers report.

Systematic Review Underscores the Safety and Efficacy of SB4 in Both Switched and New Patients

August 6th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Samsung Bioepis’ etanercept biosimilar, SB4, has been available in multiple markets since it was authorized by the European Commission in 2016, and this week, a new systematic review reported on real-world evidence on the use of the biosimilar in treating inflammatory diseases.

Study Finds Strong Retention at 4 Years for Patients With AS Treated With CT-P13

August 2nd 2019

By Kelly Davio

Data continue to accrue on the use of biosimilar infliximab, CT-P13 (Inflectra, Remsima), in a variety of disease states, and a recent study among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who were treated with the biosimilar demonstrated infrequent discontinuation of therapy.