With the imminent introduction of both follow-on NBCDs and biosimilars for multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers at MORSE compared biosimilars and NBCDs in Europe, the US and Canada with respect to MS [1].The commentary article defines biosimilars and follow-on NBCDs and provides an overview of how these products have been introduced in Europe, the US and Canada from a regulatory, health technology and reimbursement perspective. In addition, the article briefly explores the potential impact and outlook of biosimilar and follow-on NBCD products related to MS. Ultimately the article serves as a tool to inform clinicians within this disease space of this new class of products and how healthcare systems have been adapting to their use.

Following this in-depth overview of the current landscape, MORSE provided recommendations to assist MS clinicians adapt to their evolving environment. These recommendations include:

• Reviewing the biosimilar evidence to date from key international/regional markets from other therapeutic areas, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, to get a sense of the best practices used and how these approaches may translate to patient care in their jurisdiction.
• Seeking the perspective of leaders in the biosimilar/follow-on NBCD landscape that can provide key insights into what one may expect for the future of MS treatments.
• Participating in continuing medical education seminars related to biosimilars to better understand how these new products will impact available reimbursement choices and patient care.

Biosimilars and follow-on NBCDs hold the potential to impact healthcare systems dramatically. As such, it is important for MS clinical specialists to possess a strong understanding of how these products are regulated, reviewed and reimbursed.

Conflict of interest
The authors of the commentary [1] declared that there is no potential conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Abstracted by Ms Sophia Gran-Ruaz, MORSE Consulting Inc, Toronto, Canada.

Related article
Challenges in the regulation of NBCDs

Reference
1. Gran-Ruaz S, Mani A, O’Quinn S. An overview of biosimilars and non-biologic complex drugs in Europe, the United States, and Canada and their relevance to multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2017;23(14):1824-9.

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