Practice

Paper Questions Utility of DANBIO Results for Switching to Biosimilar Etanercept

February 4th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

In a newly published correspondence, Italian rheumatology providers called into question whether recently published results from the DANBIO registry can be used to guide non-medical switching from reference etanercept (Enbrel) to biosimilar SB4 (Benpali) in patients with inflammatory diseases.

Biosimilar Education Roundup: January 2019

January 31st 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

While the body of reassuring data on the safety and efficacy of biosimilars continues to grow, worrisome information about stakeholders’ levels of awareness of these products is also coming to light, and January 2019 saw the publication of a spate of studies showing low levels of patient and provider education on biosimilars.

More Research Finds Low Awareness of Biosimilars Among Oncology Providers

January 29th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

While a majority of survey respondents said that they were at least somewhat familiar with current developments in oncology biosimilars, analyses of open-ended definitions found that only 1 participant could fully define a biosimilar, according to researchers.

NHS Provides Update on Biosimilar Adalimumab With a Focus on ISRs

January 29th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

Biosimilar adalimumab is making its way to patients, some of whom have expressed concerns about the presence of citrate in some of the available biosimilars.

Review Points to Nocebo Effect as a Cause of Higher Discontinuation Rates for Biosimilars

January 28th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

In observational studies of patients who have switched treatment from a reference biologic to a biosimilar, some higher rates of discontinuation have been observed when these studies are compared with blinded switching studies.

Patient Awareness of Biosimilars Impacts Adherence, but Nurse-Led Education Could Help

January 23rd 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

Despite the fact that biosimilars have a longer history in the European Union than in the United States, many European patients still lack awareness of these medicines, and data suggest that a lack of awareness may be keeping patients from adhering to their therapies.

Increased Use of Infliximab Biosimilars Corresponds to Increased Reporting of AEs

January 21st 2019

By Samantha DiGrande

Article

The study investigators noted that the number of individual case safety reports related to infliximab biosimilars increased directly after the marketing availability of the medicines in Italy, which can be interpreted as a result of more patients having access to infliximab therapy.

Canadian Payer Reports a Successful Switch to Biosimilars

January 21st 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

In 2018, Green Shield Canada launched its pilot Biosimilar Transition Program, through 3 plan sponsors, under which patients already receiving biologics were switched to biosimilars. Now that the pilot is complete, the payer is calling the program a success.

Package Leaflets for EU Biosimilars May Negatively Impact Adherence, Study Says

January 21st 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

The package leaflet provided to a patient with any drug product includes crucial information about a given therapy that can increase adherence and appropriate use of the product. To help make these leaflets as useful as possible for patients, in 2009, the European Commission published a new guideline on the readability of these labels with the aim of making them easier for patients to understand.

New Paper Seeks to Clarify the US Position on Interchangeability

January 18th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

A new paper, published this week in Current Medical Research and Opinion, seeks to clarify the US definition of interchangeability and differentiate it from the separate concepts of automatic substitution and physician-mediated switching.