Wayne Winegarden, PhD, Discusses the Value of an Interchangeable Designation for Adalimumab Biosimilars

The Center for Biosimilars^® interviewed Wayne Winegarden, PhD, senior fellow in business and economics at Pacific Research Institute (PRI) and director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation.

Winegarden talked about how interchangeability designations are more important for biosimilars referencing adalimumab (Humira) because they would not administered by a physician in a clinic, unlike oncology biosimilars, which pharmacists do not interact with on a regular basis. He said that interchangeability will have a bigger impact for adalimumab biosimilars and other rheumatology biosimilars because they will have to be filled in local pharmacists often. It also stated that interchangeability is important for adalimumab biosimilars because it will increase the likelihood that biosimilar versions will be utilized over the more expensive reference product.