Generic biosimilar therapies for arthritis 'as effective as branded versions'

This study only applies to anti-TNFs, underlining the need for further research on whether other biosimilar products - such as biosimilar insulins - work as well as their branded counterparts. Nevertheless, the results show that rheumatoid arthritis patients at least can benefit from the availability of effective therapy options at a lower cost, meaning more people may be able to access the drugs without placing an excessive burden on healthcare services. Study leader Dr Caleb Alexander, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness, said:"Hopefully this will encourage the brisk adoption of these products. There is no question that greater competition in this market will benefit patients, prescribers and society in the long run." The Arthritis Research UK view Dr Natalie Carter, head of research and evaluation at the charity Arthritis Research UK; said:"This article pulls together many international studies for comparison. The findings indicate that biosimilars are interchangeable with their anti-TNF predecessors, which is great news. However, these are small sample sizes and more research needs to be done to understand their suitability for the millions of people living with the dailypain caused by arthritis. "Arthritis Research UK has been at the forefront of research into anti-TNF biological therapies since research funded by the charity pioneered it in the 1990s. We welcome the continued development of biosimilars that have ...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news