1
Report
Monitoring the consumption of biosimilars in 2022 in Italy
Annual balance of consumption and impact of biosimilars in Italy published by the Italian Drug Agency. At the national level, a prevalent use of the biosimilar is observed (in 2022 values greater than 80%) for many of the drugs evaluated, such as monoclonal antibodies, enoxaparin, epoetins, growth factors, and teriparatide. On the contrary, for the categories of follitropin, insulin and somatropin, the use of the original or 'other' group prevails. The analysis of regional variability shows a heterogeneous use, with regions that exclusively use biosimilars and others in which consumption is very low or even zero. Estimates a global saving (for all active ingredients) ranging between 60 and 250 million euros. The biological drug with the greatest achievable margin of savings is adalimumab.
Italian Drug Agency
2
Infographics
The biosimilar medicines sector in Spain
The recently published BioSim Biennial Activities Report corresponding to the period 2021-2022 includes two infographics that show, on the one hand, the main figures of the industrial sector in Spain, among which the more than 35 biosimilar medicines in development stand out, and on the other hand, the key figures of biosimilars in the SNS. In the latter, more than 147 presentations used for 35 indications stand out.
Spanish Association of Biosimilar Medicines
https://www.biosim.es/documentos/memoria%20bienal-2021-2022.pdf
3
ADIEX
biosimilars in cancer
Second video in the 2nd season of the YouTube channel of video advice on "Biosimilars and Pharmacy". In this case, the biosimilars used in cancer are addressed: from the growth factors filgrastim, pegfilgrastim or epoetins, used as support therapy, to the monoclonal antibodies rituximab, trastuzumab and bevacizumab. The indications, routes of administration and different devices currently available for cancer patients are described.
CGCOF, Medicine Television and BioSim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOd5ttyXDbE
4
Scientific article
Results of the financial incentive experiment for biosimilars in France
This work evaluates the impact of the French project to encourage the prescription of biosimilars started in 2018. There was a mandatory model for certain centers (incentive of 20% of the price difference between the reference product and this biosimilar is redirected to the hospital) and one experimental and voluntary (incentive of 30% of the price difference between the reference product and its biosimilars and is directed directly to the clinical units that have prescribed the biosimilar). The impact on the penetration of the biosimilar etanercept was analyzed after 25 months and it was found that the incentive was more effective in the hospitals of the experimental plan than in those centers where the mechanism was mandatory, although only in the first months.
Applied Health Economics and Health Policy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37253898/
5
Website
New biosimilars under evaluation by the Committee for Medicines for Human Use
In its Medicines for human use under evaluation section, the European Medicines Agency periodically publishes the medicines under evaluation by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Regarding biosimilars under evaluation, as of June 2023, there are 18 biosimilar candidates being evaluated, among which two denosumab biosimilar candidates (indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis) and one omalizumab stand out as new active ingredients. (indicated in the treatment of allergic asthma).