Biosimilars

Since the first biosimilar launched in the U.S. market five years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 29 total biosimilars to treat diseases such as cancer and autoimmune conditions. Almost two-thirds of those products are commercially available to America’s patients.

In 2020, cancer claimed the lives of 600,000 Americans. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS CAN), there are approximately 1.7 million new cases of cancer in the United States each year, and more than 16.9 million Americans have a cancer history.

This article first appeared in Managed Healthcare Executive on February 1, 2021.

Generic and biosimilar medicines are a proven solution to lowering drug costs, and the use of these medicines saved more than $313 billion in 2019 alone. At a time of high economic insecurity, access to more-affordable generic and biosimilars means patients are more likely to fill and use a generic drug prescription.

This article first appeared in Chain Drug Review on January 5, 2021 as Pharmacy Outlook: Dan Leonard.

Diagnosed in her late twenties with incurable stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Helen, now 41 and a wife and mother of two in Florida, knows she can rely on biosimilars to help when needed, so she can live her life to the fullest.

U.S. biosimilar medicines are 10 years old this year. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we see great promise and opportunity ahead, with greater access and lower prices for patients with cancer, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. Here are 10 ways to mark this auspicious anniversary:

10. Learn more about the 10th anniversary of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) at www.b10similars.org. 

In 2019, Jeni Doerr finally received a diagnosis for her recent illnesses – pancolitis. Doerr, 35, from Newhall, CA, is featured in AAM’s recently released 2020 Generic Drug & Biosimilars Access & Savings in the U.S. report.