SAN DIEGO—Should patients with rheumatic diseases switch from a biologic to its biosimilar? At the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting’s Great Debate, held Nov. 5, two rheumatologists argued whether to switch or stay put based on safety, efficacy and potential cost savings. First to the podium to make the case for switching, Jonathan Kay, MD, tweaked…
During the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, advances in biosimilar treatments were abuzz. However, many speakers noted that the presence of biosimilars on the market has not yet resulted in greater access to treatment and lower drug pricing in the U.S…
In a 78-week study examining the interchangeability of infliximab with the biosimilar SB2, the treatments demonstrated long-term efficacy, safety and immunogenicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Across all the study’s treatment groups, patients had similar treatment response rates, and the long-term clinical profile of SB2 was comparable with infliximab…
(Reuters)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer Inc’s second biosimilar to Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug, Remicade, the company said on Wednesday. Pfizer’s Ixifi was approved for all eligible indications of Remicade, including the treatment of bowel disease Crohn’s disease and skin disorder plaque psoriasis, the drugmaker said. Biosimilars are medicines deemed…
SAN DIEGO—Should patients with rheumatic diseases switch from a biologic to its biosimilar? At the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting’s Great Debate, held Nov. 5, two rheumatologists argued whether to switch or stay put based on safety, efficacy and potential cost savings. First to the podium to make the case for switching, Jonathan Kay, MD, tweaked…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A biosimilar version of infliximab appears as effective as the original for treating pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD), and less costly, new research shows. “These baseline data have now enabled us to confidently switch patients from originator to biosimilar, adopting the same prospective methodology to monitor effectiveness, safety and cost,” Dr. Lisa…
As questions about biosimilar medications swirl among U.S. rheumatologists, a recently released report sheds some light on the European experience with biosimilars—and may offer some important insights for the U.S. market. The report, Biosimilars in the EU: Information Guide for Healthcare Professionals, was released in late April by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the…
Patients who receive abaloparatide and switch to alendronate have a statistically significant reduction in fracture risk through 3.5 years, according to a new study…
With the advent of biosimilars to the marketplace, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires modifiers to identify the manufacturer of a biosimilar/biological product on Part B claims. Modifiers were put in place to provide the CMS with the necessary data needed to track claims payments, as well as the ability to…
Mvasi, a biosimilar to the cancer drug Avastin, is approved for certain colorectal, lung, brain, kidney and cervical cancers The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Mvasi (bevacizumab-awwb) as a biosimilar to Avastin (bevacizumab) for the treatment of multiple types of cancer. Mvasi is the first biosimilar approved in the U.S. for the treatment…