August 30, 2020
The month of August saw two new biosimilars launch in Canada: The first, Ziextenzo, is a biosimilar pegfilgrastim- a long-acting form of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (r-metHuG-CSF), or filgrastim. It is was approved April 21st of this year by Health Canada to decrease the incidence of infection, as manifested by febrile neutropenia, in patients […]
June 18, 2020
In a letter dated June 18, the Canada-based Biosimilar Working Group (BWG) urged the Canadian province of Manitoba to reject the forced-substitution policies some provinces are implementing to increase biosimilar uptake. The letter was addressed to Cameron Friesen, Manitoba’s Minister of Health, Seniors, and Active Living. From the letter: We have concerns regarding implementation of […]
December 13, 2019
Health Minister Tyler Shandro Announces Policy that Eliminates Physician and Patient Choice of Biologic Medicine for Half of Albertans EDMONTON- the Government of Alberta announced that it will begin forcibly switching 26,000 patients from their physician-chosen biologic medicines to government-chosen biosimilars beginning July 1st, 2020. These patients include 22,000 Albertans with diabetes, 2,000 with Crohn’s […]
November 8, 2019
On November 5th and 6th, ASBM exhibited at the (Drug Information Association (DIA) Annual Canadian Meeting, a meeting of Canadian regulators, researchers, health professionals and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Held in Gatineau, Quebec, just outside the Canadian capital of Ottawa, the meeting’s purpose is to present a comprehensive overview of the current bio-pharma and device landscape in […]
October 28, 2019
The undisputed leader in biosimilars with more than 60 products approved and the largest biosimilar market in the world, Europe has achieved impressive biosimilar uptake rates. These can be as high as 91% for older products (before the approval of the first monoclonal antibody biosimilar in 2013) and up to 43% for newer products (approved […]
October 28, 2019
The undisputed leader in biosimilars with more than 60 products approved and the largest biosimilar market in the world, Europe has achieved impressive biosimilar uptake rates. These can be as high as 91% for older products (before the approval of the first monoclonal antibody biosimilar in 2013) and up to 43% for newer products (approved […]
September 23, 2019
Biosimilars Working Group Responds to Phase II of the BC PharmaCare Biosimilars Initiative VANCOUVER, BC – Wednesday, September 18, 2019. On September 5, 2019, the BC government announced phase two of its Biosimilars Initiative, informing patients prescribed the originator biologic drug, Remicade® (infliximab), to treat inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) that this medication […]
August 5, 2019
As BC attempts to increase biosimilar use by force-switching 23,000 patients, Europe enjoys high uptake rates while preserving patient and physician choice. On August 5th, ASBM released a fact sheet contrasting the biosimilar substitution policies of European countries (which generally have robust biosimilar markets) with the newly announced British Columbia policy. First fact sheet also addresses misconceptions […]
August 5, 2019
As BC attempts to increase biosimilar use by force-switching 23,000 patients, Europe enjoys high uptake rates while preserving patient and physician choice. On August 5th, ASBM released a fact sheet contrasting the biosimilar substitution policies of European countries (which generally have robust biosimilar markets) with the newly announced British Columbia policy. First fact sheet also addresses misconceptions […]
June 6, 2019
ARLINGTON, Va., June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — On May 27th, the Government of British Columbia (B.C.) announced a policy that will forcibly switch thousands of patients with serious, chronic conditions from their current biologic medicines to lower-cost “biosimilar” treatments, effective November 25th, 2019. The roughly 23,000 patients who will be affected include those with rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, […]
