About Biosimilar

Future with biosimilars

Biosimilars have the advantage of offering effective treatment for serious chronic diseases at a much lower cost. Since widely prescribed biologics have lost or will shortly lose their patents, availability of biosimilars is a boon. They are similar in terms of quality, safety, and efficacy to already licensed reference products. For example, current availability of biosimilars for the treatment of rheumatologic conditions are said to improve access via decreased medication costs. More patients can be treated at the same expenditure.

It is more than 10 years of marketing the first biosimilar in Europe and there has been no proof of differences in terms of the safety profile of biosimilars and originators.

The availability of biosimilar medicines in the market has paved way for competition, improved access to biological medicines are allowed financial sustainability of healthcare systems.

High similarity is a prerequisite — patients and healthcare providers can be assured that the biosimilar medicines are as safe and effective as their reference products

References :

  1. Declerck PJ. Biologicals and biosimilars: a review of the science and its implications. GaBI Journal 2012;1(1):13-16.
  2. Biosimilar and Interchangeable Products. US FDA website. Accessed from https://www.fda.gov/drugs/biosimilars/biosimilar-and-interchangeable-products
  3. Ingrasciotta Y et al. Safety of Biologics, Including Biosimilars: Perspectives on Current Status and Future Direction. Drug Saf. 2018 Nov;41(11):1013-1022.