Rheumatology

CT-P10 Shows Long-Term Similarity to EU and US Reference Rituximab in RA

February 7th 2019

By Kelly Davio

New research, published in BioDrugs, underscores the long-term efficacy and safety of treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biosimilar rituximab, CT-P10.

Paper Questions Utility of DANBIO Results for Switching to Biosimilar Etanercept

February 4th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Article

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.

Providers Not Using Part B Drugs to Add to Profit, Research Finds

February 4th 2019

By Allison Inserro

Article

The assumption that Medicare Part B payment rates lead providers to create higher drug utilization for costlier treatments in order to benefit from larger add-on payments is not correct, a recent white paper said. The paper from Xcenda, a part of AmerisourceBergen, also found similar results when looking at physician-administered drugs in the hospital outpatient setting.

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.

Bio-Thera Begins Phase 3 Trial of Proposed Tocilizumab Biosimilar

January 27th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Article

Bio-Thera Solutions, a China-based biosimilar developer, announced that it has dosed the first patients in its phase 3 clinical study of BAT1806, a proposed biosimilar tocilizumab referencing Actemra, an interleukin-6 inhibitor.

Amgen and Allergan Announce Positive Topline Results for ABP 798

January 24th 2019

By Kelly Davio

Article

Amgen and Allergan today announced positive topline results of a combined phase 1 and phase 3 study evaluating ABP 798, a proposed biosimilar rituximab, in comparison with the reference Rituxan in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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.

Eye on Pharma: Sandoz's Biosimilar Etanercept Gains New Canadian Indication

January 22nd 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Article

Sandoz’s biosimilar etanercept, Erelzi, referencing the brand-name Enbrel, has been granted an indication for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis by Health Canada.

Proposed Biosimilar Shows Similar Glycosylation, Primary Structure, In-Vitro Functionality to Enbrel

January 19th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Article

In a recent comparability analysis, a proposed biosimilar to etanercept (that the developers hope to sell as Altebrel) underwent direct comparison to the reference and was found to have a high similarity in terms of glycosylation, primary structure, and in-vitro functionality.