Biosimilars – Current Treatment – Immunology

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 to biosimilar 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 the United States. As the immune biosimilar 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. Based on primary market research conducted by Clarivate in the United States, France, and Germany with physicians from two specialties (gastroenterology and rheumatology), clients will gain a clear overview of physicians’ experiences with and attitudes toward biosimilars and understand these drugs’ market dynamics.

Questions answered:

• Understand current biosimilar use. What are the current levels of experience prescribing biosimilars across different specialties? How do physicians perceive currently available biosimilars?
• Understand the drivers, barriers, and physicians’ attitudes regarding biosimilar uptake. What are the greatest drivers of/barriers to biosimilar use? How familiar with biosimilars are physicians across different specialties? How similar do physicians perceive biosimilars and reference brands to be? Are physicians aware of the pharmacy-level substitution rules in their own country, and would they expect to prevent this substitution? What are physicians’ opinions of indication extrapolation?
• Future use. Which types of biosimilar manufacturers do physicians trust most? How will physicians adopt biosimilars initially, and will adoption vary by specialty? Will physician uptake be affected by biosimilar price/reimbursement policies? Will physicians use new biologics once biosimilars are available? How will physicians choose between multiple biosimilars of the same reference product?

Scope:

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

Key companies mentioned:

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

Key drugs mentioned:

• Remicade (infliximab)
• Inflectra (infliximab)
• Remsima (infliximab)
• Flixabi (infliximab)
• Enbrel (etanercept)
• Benepali (etanercept)
• Nepexto (etanercept)
• Humira (adalimumab)
• Abrilada (adalimumab)
• Amjevita/Amgevita (adalimumab)
• Cyltezo (adalimumab)
• Idacio (adalimumab)
• Imraldi (adalimumab)
• Hadlima (adalimumab)
• Hukyndra (adalimumab)
• Hulio (adalimumab)
• Hyrimoz (adalimumab)
• Yuflyma (adalimumab)
• Yusimry (adalimumab)
• Simlandi (adalimumab)
• Rituxan / MabThera (rituximab)
• Truxima (rituximab)
• Simponi (golimumab)
• Cimzia (certolizumab pegol)
• Orencia (abatacept)
• Actemra / RoActemra (tocilizumab)
• Stelara (ustekinumab)
• Entyvio (vedolizumab)