What defines a biosimilar?

A biosimilar is a biological product FDA-approved biosimilars have been compared to an FDA-approved biologic, known as the reference product.

What are biosimilars in pharma?

A biosimilar product is a biologic product that is approved based on demonstrating that it is highly similar to an FDA‐approved biologic product, known as a reference product, and has no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety and effectiveness from the reference product.

Why do we need biosimilars?

Biosimilars are expected to deliver huge savings to healthcare systems and increase access to treatment in the coming years as expensive biological drugs lose patent protection. Regulatory requirements ensure that a biosimilar and the original biological are in all essential respects the same.

What was the first biosimilar?

Filgrastim-sndz (Zarxio) is the first biosimilar product approved in the United States. It has been determined to be biosimilar to filgrastim (Neupogen).

What is the primary benefit of biosimilars?

BF The main benefit of using biosimilars in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is reduced drug acquisition costs. Biosimilars are not generic drugs—they are highly similar to originator biologic agents—but, like generics, biosimilars are less expensive than the originators.

What is the point of biosimilars?

Biosimilars are important because they have an opportunity to provide competition in the market and expand patient access to critical medicines, much like the advent of generic medications more than 35 years ago.

Why are biosimilars used?

Biosimilars use the exact same starting materials and similar manufacturing processes as the original biologic. They are designed and developed to be highly similar to the original drug upon which they are based, and they will not be approved as a biosimilar if they are not.

How do biosimilars help people?

Biosimilars offer patients additional options for treatment of chronic diseases and may also save money for health systems such as Medicare, the Veterans Administration, and Medicaid.

How does a biosimilar get approved?

A biosimilar is approved by FDA after rigorous evaluation and testing by the applicant. Prescribers and patients should have no concerns about using these medications instead of reference

Are any biosimilars interchangeable in the US?

There are currently no interchangeable biosimilars in the US market, but several states are rushing to enact laws that will impact how pharmacies provide these medications.

Which are biosimilars interchangeable?

Biosimilar Interchangeability: 9 Things to Consider An interchangeable biosimilar is expected to produce the same clinical result as the reference in any given patient. The Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) official guidance on interchangeability is still in draft form. There are currently no FDA-approved interchangeable biosimilars.

What is a biosimilar modifier?

Modifiers will be used to distinguish between biosimilar products that appear in the same HCPCS code but are made by different manufacturers. CMS will issue HCPCS codes for biosimilar biological products and will issue and assign modifiers to specific biosimilar products in each HCPCS code.