Biosimilar

If you see more than a few patients with inflammatory bowel disease, you likely already have been asked by a third-party payer to switch a patient’s adalimumab prescription from the reference product to a biosimilar.

The age of biosimilars has come for gastroenterology. This includes interchangeable products, three of which are now on the market. How this will impact patient care in the near and distant future is the subject of much speculation.

Only half of rheumatologists are “extremely comfortable” prescribing the Humira biosimilar Amjevita, while just 16% can say the same for all other adalimumab biosimilars combined, according to a market analysis from Spherix Global Insights.

The FDA has approved Tyenne, the second tocilizumab biosimilar overall and the first available in both intravenous and subcutaneous formulations, according to a press release from its manufacturer.

Sandoz has completed the acquisition of Cimerli, a ranibizumab biosimilar, from Coherus BioSciences, according to a press release.

In this Healio video exclusive, Leonard Calabrese, DO, chief medical editor of Healio Rheumatology, discussed the top items from the February issue, including an exploration of how the placebo effect can be applied in rheumatology.

In this Healio video exclusive, Michael V. Chiorean, MD, explains that physicians can safely and “with confidence” switch patients with inflammatory bowel disease from an originator biologic to a biosimilar at any point during treatment.

The FDA has approved Simlandi as the third interchangeable biosimilar to Humira following a rejection in April 2023 stemming from issues at the developer’s manufacturing facility.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will replace Humira with the biosimilar Hadlima on its national formulary, according to a press release from Organon, which markets biosimilar.

A lot can change in a year. But has it?