Why 鈥榮imilar鈥 and not the same?
鈥淐ommon medicines such as paracetamol are made from chemicals and can be easily replicated. In contrast, biologics come from living organisms, which are more complex and difficult to replicate,鈥 Mueller explained.
鈥淭his complexity means we cannot produce identical products in every batch. That鈥檚 why biosimilars are similar but can never be identical. Biosimilars provide the same health benefits in terms of safety and efficacy as their corresponding originator biologic.鈥
Biosimilars are evaluated by the same regulators as biologics, who assess that the risks and benefits they provide are comparable to the originator biologics.
What impact could biosimilars have?
Biosimilars have generated more than $64 billion in savings for European healthcare systems.6 In China, a study with more than 20,000 participants showed that cancer biosimilars were priced at 69%-90% of the costs of their originator biologic, making them a more affordable option.7
Evidence from other countries such as Turkey also recognize the cost-saving benefits of biosimilars and encourage healthcare professionals to use them.7
Biosimilars can improve access to care,6,10 with positive health outcomes for people around the world.9
鈥淏iologics are a real scientific success story, and it鈥檚 important that they reach as many people who need them as possible,鈥 Mueller said.
鈥淏iosimilars are proven to make these incredible medicines more affordable and accessible. They can help bridge differences in access to healthcare that people experience around the world.鈥
Ensuring that emerging countries can access and use these treatments is vital for managing a wide range of diseases.
As these innovative treatments become more widely available, accessible, and adopted in emerging countries, they can help more people live healthier and longer lives.
References
1 One dog, 90 years, millions saved. Understanding Animal Research. Published April 9, 2012. Accessed June 24, 2024.
2 Foster E. 100 years of insulin: How researchers at the University of Toronto ushered in a new era of diabetes treatment. Penn Today. Published January 26, 2022. Accessed June 24, 2024.
3 Heather, J.M. and Chain, B., 2016. The sequence of sequencers: The history of sequencing DNA.聽Genomics,听107(1), pp.1-8.
4 Nahta, R., Esteva, F. Trastuzumab: triumphs and tribulations. Oncogene 26, 3637鈥3643 (2007).
5 Schirrmacher V. From chemotherapy to biological therapy: A review of novel concepts to reduce the side effects of systemic cancer treatment (Review). Int J Oncol. 2019 Feb;54(2):407-419. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4661. Epub 2018 Dec 10. PMID: 30570109; PMCID: PMC6317661.
6 IQVIA. The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe. 2025. Available from:
7 Luo X, Du X, Li Z, et al. Clinical Benefit, Price, and Uptake for Cancer Biosimilars vs Reference Drugs in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.聽JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2337348. Published 2023 Oct 2. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37348
8聽 Iskit AB. Key concepts in biosimilar medicines:聽What physicians must know.聽North Clin Istanb. 2022;9(1):86-91. Published 2022 Feb 10. doi:10.14744/nci.2021.84669
9 A biosimilar medicines access policy blueprint. International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association. Published 2021. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.globalbiosimilarsweek.org/2021/doc/A-Biosimilar-medicines-Access-Policy-Blueprint-IGBA.pdf
10 Association for Accessible Medicines. The U.S. generic & biosimilar medicines savings report. October 2021. https://accessiblemeds.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/AAM-2021-USGeneric-Biosimilar-Medicines-Savings-Report-web.pdf. Accessed September 23, 2022.
11 Matthias Calamia and Ivo Abraham. The economics of biosimilars and challenges to biosimilar adoption in low- and middle-income countries, Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 2023. Doi: 10.1080/14712598.2023.2247972
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