Biosimilars | Current Treatment | Immunology | US/EU | 2019

Biologics approved to treat immune indications (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease) are among the most commercially successful biopharmaceutical products and offer a great opportunity for biosimilars developers. The pipeline of immune biosimilars includes several agents that reference AbbVie’s very successful biologic Humira (adalimumab). Biosimilars of Humira have been available in Europe since October 2018. Biosimilars referencing Roche’s Rituxan/MabThera(rituximab) have also launched in Europe and are set to launch in the United States in Q4 2019. As the immune biosimilars space becomes increasingly competitive, it is important that manufacturers and marketers of biosimilars and branded biologics understand the factors that most influence physicians’ choice of therapy. Decision Resources Group conducted market research with rheumatologists and gastroenterologists in France, Germany, and the United States to gain insightsintotheir attitude toward biosimilars, the drivers of and barriers to their use of biosimilars, and their expectations for future biosimilar adoption.

Questions answered:

• Have physicians received recommendations to use biosimilars?
• Are physicians switching patients from reference brands to biosimilars?
• What factors do physicians consider when choosing between competing biosimilars?
• How are TNF-alpha inhibitor and MAb biosimilars performing, and what are physicians’ expectations for their future uptake?
• What are the key drivers and barriers to the uptake of TNF-alpha inhibitors and MAb biosimilars?

Scope:

• Markets covered: France, Germany, and the United States.
• Primary research: Survey of 90 rheumatologists and 91 gastroenterologists.

Key companies mentioned:

• Amgen
• AbbVie
• Biogen
• Celltrion
• Johnson & Johnson/Janssen
• Merck & Co./MSD
• Mundipharma
• Novartis/Sandoz
• Pfizer/Hospira
• Roche/Genentech
• Samsung Bioepis

Key drugs mentioned:

• Inflectra (infliximab)
• Remsima (infliximab)
• Benepali (etanercept)
• Flixabi (infliximab)
• Truxima (rituximab)
• Enbrel (etanercept)
• Humira (adalimumab)
• Remicade (infliximab)
• Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab)
• Simponi (golimumab)
• Cimzia (certolizumab pegol)
• Orencia (abatacept)
• Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab)
• Stelara (ustekinumab)
• Entyvio (vedolizumab)