Biosimilars/General

ECCO position statement on biosimilars

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) is a non-profit association with the aim of improving the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Europe. The association currently includes 2,519 individual experts, 33 country members and 17 corporate members.

Top 8 blockbuster biologicals 2013

The top three best-selling drugs during 2013 were biologicals. All three best-sellers are indicated for the treatment of arthritis, and include Abbott’s Humira (adalimumab), Merck’s Remicade (infliximab) and Roche’s Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab).

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – April 2014

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the European Union (EU). A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

Biosimilars approved in New Zealand

Last update: 2 May 2014

In New Zealand, the regulatory body for the approval of medicines, including biosimilars, is the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe).

Biosimilars knowledge gap needs addressing

The European Generic medicines Association (EGA) has called upon national authorities and medical societies to actively engage in reducing the knowledge gap about biosimilars.

Copaxone sees off generics challenge

Teva received a major boost in June 2012, after a US court backed the Israeli firm in a patent dispute concerning its multiple sclerosis blockbuster Copaxone (glatiramer acetate).

GPhA proposes using manufacturer names to distinguish biosimilars

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) has proposed a compromise naming scheme for biosimilars that it hopes will end the dispute over how to assign international non-proprietary names (INNs) to biosimilars in the US.

EU majority says same INNs for biosimilars

According to recently published summary minutes from an October 2013 meeting of the European Commission’s Pharmaceutical Committee, the majority of EU Member States agree that biosimilars should have the same international non-proprietary name (INN) as their reference biological.

Biosimilars developments during 2013

Last update: 12 February 2014 

The past year has been a busy one for the biosimilars’ industry. One of the most important milestones during 2013 was the European approval of the first monoclonal antibody biosimilar infliximab [Remsima/Inflectra] made as a collaboration by South Korean biotechnology company Celltrion and US-based generics major Hospira [1]. Celltrion has also gained approval for Remsima in South Korea [2] and Colombia [3], and has also applied for approval in Japan [4]. In fact, in Europe, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been busy during 2013 approving five biosimilars [5, 6].

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – 2013 Q4

Last update: 17 January 2014

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the European Union (EU). A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

J&J adds its opinion to biosimilars naming debate

In the ongoing saga over how to name biosimilars healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has added its opinion to the melting pot; petitioning the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give biosimilars similar, but not identical names, to those of the originator biological products.

Calls for biosimilars to have same INN at WHO meeting

Last update: 7 February 2014 

The World Health Organization (WHO) held its 57th Consultation on International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) for Pharmaceutical Substances on 22 October 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. During the meeting some stakeholders called for biosimilars to be assigned the same INN as their reference biologicals, while others called for the use of distinct non-propriety names.

Biologicals sales quadruple from 2002 to 2017

Biologicals are outstripping regular pharmaceuticals in terms of growth and taking a bigger and bigger chunk of overall drug sales. Increasingly, biosimilars and non-originator biologicals are also taking a small share of this market.

Copaxone stay rejected and balugrastim withdrawn

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Teva) had its request for a stay of an appeals court ruling on its blockbuster drug Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) rejected, and that it had withdrawn its application for approval of balugrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]).

Merck acquires follow-on Copaxone NBCD: determined to lead in MS

Germany-based Merck already markets its own multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) but suffered a major blow during 2011 when regulators on both sides of the Atlantic rejected its oral MS treatment Movectro (cladribine). Merck has since abandoned the project.

Germany wants to increase biosimilars penetration

Germany may introduce regulations to increase the uptake of biosimilars in the country, according to Mr Mathias Heck, who serves as the European Union Legal and Policy Counsel with the European Office of the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (Bundesverband der Pharmazeutischen Industrie, BPI).

Survey highlights the importance of unique names for biosimilars

A report released by the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM) on 22 November 2013 highlights the importance of using unique names for identifying biosimilars.

Biosimilars naming debate intensifies

In October 2013, a letter was sent to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by a bipartisan group of US senators calling for biosimilars to have the same active ingredient name as the brand-name originator product [1]. This has prompted a response from ‘authors and champions’ of the biosimilars legislation.

Similar biotherapeutic products under development in Latin America

Last update: 15 November 2013

Similar biotherapeutic products are high on the health policy agenda in Latin America, due to the fact that they are less costly and therefore have the potential to increase access to life-saving drugs. Within individual Latin American countries, the regulatory processes and stages of implementation of similar biotherapeutic products regulation vary widely. Despite this, Latin America is moving towards increasing standards of regulation for these products [1, 2].

EGA commends EMA workshop on biosimilars guidelines

The European Generic medicines Association (EGA) has congratulated the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on its organization of the EMA workshop on biosimilars and urges rapid adoption of its revisions to the agency’s overarching guidelines on biosimilars.

FDA extends biosimilars deadlines due to US shutdown

As a result of the US government shutdown, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the deadlines and goal dates for its biosimilars activities.

ASBM publishes paper on biosimilar naming

The US-based Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM) announced on 28 November 2012 that its recommendations with respect to identification and substitution of biosimilars have been published in the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) policy forum.

EGA’s vision for biosimilars and generics

On 8 October 2013, the European Generic medicines Association (EGA) launched its industrial policy vision for the future of the biosimilars and generics industries in Europe at the EGA Industrial Policy Conference.

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – 2013 Q2

Last update: 15 October 2013 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the EU. A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – 2013 Q3

Last update: 4 October 2013

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the EU. A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or reference drug.

Fight continues over biosimilar naming standards

Biosimilar products marketed in the US should share the same common non-proprietary name as the reference brand-name biological medicine, according to the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA).

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – 2012 Q4

Last update: 23 August 2013 

European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the EU. A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or ‘reference drug’.

Call for clarity in FDA’s draft guidance on biosimilar meetings

Drug companies have made comments on FDA’s draft guidance for industry on formal meetings between the agency and biosimilars manufacturers. They believe that the guidance needs some revision to protect data and provide clarity.

Biologicals sales have almost doubled since 2006

Sales of biologicals have almost doubled from US$63.8 billion in 2006 to US$124.6 billion in 2012.

Biosimilars and US exclusivity

Currently, the legal pathway in the US for the approval of biosimilars is the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCI Act) of 2009.

Biosimilars applications under review by EMA – 2013 Q1

Last update: 12 April 2013 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the body responsible for approval of biosimilars within the EU. A legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. Approval of biosimilars is based on an abbreviated registration process, which allows biosimilars manufacturers to provide a reduced package of information compared to originator drugs, provided they can prove ‘similarity’ to the originator or ‘reference drug’.

Recall of anaemia drug highlights safety issues of NBCDs

US-based biotech firm Affymax announced on 24 February 2013 that it is recalling all lots of its red blood cell-stimulating medicine Omontys (peginesatide).  This could have broader implications on how FDA evaluates follow-on non-biological complex drugs (NBCDs).

Pharma companies sue EMA to block release of data

US-based biotech companies AbbVie and InterMune have both sued EMA in a bid to block publication of clinical trial data for their drugs.

US FDA defends biosimilar substitution

US FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg defended the substitution of interchangeable biosimilars at the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) Annual Meeting which was held in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 20–22 February 2013.

Biosimilars to replace 70% of chemical drugs

Biosimilars will replace some 70% of global chemical drugs over the next couple of decades, according to industry experts. This replacement will occur due to the better safety profiles of biosimilars compared to chemical drugs and the fact that many originator biologicals will lose their patent protection in the coming years, according to Mr Appaji, Director General of Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).

Top developments in biosimilars during 2012

Much has happened in the biosimilars’ industry over the last year.

Originator biologicals approved and marketed in Germany

Last updated: 14 December 2012 

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM) is responsible for the approval, i.e. marketing authorization, of medicinal products, including biologicals, in Germany.

Competing biosimilars to Amgen’s biologicals

Amgen has been a leading biotechnology company since 1980. Amgen pioneered the development of novel products based on advances in recombinant DNA and molecular biology and launched the biotechnology industry’s first blockbuster medicines.

ABPI issues position paper on biosimilars

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), which represents innovative research-based biopharmaceutical companies in the UK, announced on 12 November 2012 the publication of its position paper on biosimilars.

Biosimilars approved and marketed in Germany

Last updated: 23 November 2012 

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM) is responsible for the approval, i.e. marketing authorization, of medicinal products, including biosimilars, in Germany.