AJMC: The Top 5 Most Popular Biosimilars Content of 2022

Both 2020 and 2021 were slow years for biosimilar approvals in the United States, but there were 7 total approved as of mid-December 2022. As more biosimilars come to market in the United States, there is interest in understanding how to implement biosimilars in practice and the cost savings that can be realized from greater use of biosimilars.

Here are the top 5 most popular biosimilars articles from 2022.

5. Patient Experiences, Oncologist Perceptions Differ for Trastuzumab Biosimilar Switch

Switching from a reference product to a biosimilar commonly happens for nonmedical reasons. Biosimilars are less expensive than the reference biologic and insurers or health care systems may lead the decision for this nonmedical switching.

However, a set of surveys revealed that patients and oncologists need improved communication regarding switching to trastuzumab biosimilars, and 41% of patients reported receiving no prior notification ahead of the switch. None of the oncologists surveyed reported that the decision to switch to a biosimilar was initiated by them.

Read the full article.

4. High-Concentration Version of Adalimumab Biosimilar Will Be Available in 2023

While the FDA had approved multiple adalimumab biosimilars prior, this represented the first high-concentration citrate-free formulation of an adalimumab biosimilar approved by the FDA. Both the low- and high-concentration versions of Samsung Bioepis’ adalimumab biosimilar, Hadlima, will launch July 2023.

The citrate-free, high-concentration version reduces site injection pain. Currently, the high-concentration version of the reference product has the most market share.

Read the full article.

3. Biosimilars Available for 3 Drugs Costing More Through Hospitals, Physicians

A report from AHIP analyzed the cost of 10 drugs and found those administered in a hospital or physician’s office can cost up to twice as much as the same drugs dispensed in specialty pharmacies.

Three of the drugs evaluated have multiple biosimilars available: Herceptin with 5 biosimilars available; Remicade with 4 biosimilars approved and 3 on the market; and Rituxan with 3 biosimilars available.

Read the full article.

2. FDA Approves Third Bevacizumab Biosimilar

In April 2022, the FDA approved Alymsys, a bevacizumab biosimilar from Amneal Pharmaceuticals and mAbxience. It was the third biosimilar referencing Avastin to be approved in the United States. Alymsys was also the second biosimilar from Amneal approved in 2022.

Amneal’s first biosimilar approved of 2022 was Releuko, a filgrastim biosimilar. The company also had a pegfilgrastim biosimilar, Fylnetra, that was approved in June 2022.

Read the full article.

1. Dr Timothy Murphy Discusses Successfully Implementing Biosimilars Into Community Cancer Practice

Timothy Murphy, MD, medical oncologist/hematologist with Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) discussed how his practice is handling the growing number of biosimilars. Educating providers and the pharmacy team was crucial for the success RMCC had had.

“We had to convince our providers that switching the drugs that they have written for with a biosimilar was an OK thing to do, that these medications are just as efficacious as the name brand drugs that they may have actually written for it,” he said.

Watch the interview.