Practice

The Top 5 Biosimilars Articles for the Week of April 30

May 4th 2018

The Center for Biosimilars® recaps the top 5 articles for the week of April 30, 2018.

Study: Biosimilar Filgrastim Can Improve Patient Access to FN Prophylaxis

May 1st 2018

By Kelly Davio

Filgrastim, used to prevent febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients undergoing chemotherapy, is the first drug in the United States to have a biosimilar approved. While the biosimilar filgrastim was approved in 2015, few studies have compared the real-world incidence of FN, healthcare resource utilization, and costs among US patients using the reference product (Neupogen) and those using the approved biosimilar (Zarxio).

Anti-TNF Therapy May Reduce Risk of Parkinson Disease in Patients With IBD

April 30th 2018

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

While systemic inflammation is a potential biological mechanism underlying both Parkinson disease (PD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), clinical data on comorbid PD and IBD are few. In a new study published in JAMA Neurology, researchers report on a retrospective cohort study that assessed the incidence of PD among patients with IBD and sought to identify whether anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy for IBD alters the risk of PD.

Research Highlights Evolving Approaches to Biosimilars in the United States

April 30th 2018

By Kelly Davio

At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting, held April 23 to 26, in Boston, Massachusetts, several research teams presented posters relevant to the US adoption of biosimilars.

Real-World Data Show Suboptimal Response to Anti-VEGF Agents in Macular Edema

April 26th 2018

By Kelly Davio

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a prevalent, vision-threatening disease, of which macular edema is a common complication. Standard treatment for RVO-associated macular edema involves intravitreal treatment with anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents such as ranibizumab, bevacizumab, or aflibercept. Despite success with these agents in clinical trials, anti-VEGF agents may be administered less frequently in clinical practice than in studies.

Bevacizumab May Have Antitumor Activity in Adult Pilocytic Astrocytoma

April 24th 2018

By Samantha DiGrande

A case series was recently published in CNS Oncology that investigated whether adult pilocytic astrocytoma—a rare and highly vascular tumor—is responsive to bevacizumab treatment.

Could Etanercept Hold Promise for Treating Spinal Cord Injuries?

April 23rd 2018

By Kelly Davio

After spinal cord injury, oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction can cause neural damage that was once believed to be both immediate and irreversible. However, neuronal death is now believed to proceed over a period of several days after initial trauma, and to include cellular, molecular, and biochemical cascades, including local inflammatory responses. Tumor necrosis factor is believed to be involved in the local production of cytokines at the site of the injury.

ACR SOTA Symposium: Precision Medicine in Rheumatology

April 20th 2018

By Samantha DiGrande

At the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)’s State-of-the-Art (SOTA) Symposium, held last week in Chicago, Illinois, Judith James, MD, PhD, chair of arthritis and clinical immunology at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, presented a talk on precision medicine in rheumatology.

The Top 5 Biosimilars Articles for the Week of April 16

April 20th 2018

The Center for Biosimilars® recaps the top 5 biosimilars articles for the week of April 16, 2018.

ACR SOTA Symposium: Update on RA Treatment

April 19th 2018

By Samantha DiGrande

Rheumatologists gathered from across the country last week to discuss the latest approaches in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases at the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) 2018 State-of-the-Art (SOTA) Clinical Symposium held in Chicago, Illinois.