Biosimilars Bulletin | September 2020

News and Updates

AAM Releases 12th Annual Access & Savings Report

The Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM) has released its 2020 Access & Savings Report detailing the economic benefit of generic and biosimilar medicines to America’s patients.

New AAM Chief Sets Out Priorities

AAM CEO Dan Leonard has set out his priorities for the association, highlighting current industry challenges as well as throwing light on how generics can be the “bridge” to a COVID-19 vaccine.

Biggest Influencers in Biosimilars in Q2 2020: The Top Individuals and Organizations to Follow

The Biosimilars Council has ranked in the top ten of the most influential people and organizations in biosimilars on Twitter during Q2 2020 by Pharmaceutical Technology.

Sandoz President: Managing the Biologics, Biosimilars Supply Chain through COVID-19

In this Q&A with Biosimilars Development editor Anna Rose Welch, Carol Lynch, President, U.S., and Head North America for Sandoz, discusses the supply challenges she’s observed in the biologics space throughout the current pandemic and the efforts biosimilars makers should be taking to meet patients’ needs and prepare for future supply disruptions.

An Update on 2020 U.S. Biosimilars Regulation and Litigation

There have been numerous developments in the biosimilars space in 2020, even amid the global COVID-19 pandemic — and in some cases, because of it.

Biosimilar Developers and the Battle Against COVID-19

As the global pandemic cases topped 25 million by late summer, many biosimilar manufacturers joined the fight to find treatments for COVID-19.

Framing the Switch to Biosimilars for Patients and Providers

The NOR-SWITCH study is perhaps the best-known trial involving changing patients with inflammatory bowel disease from the originator compound, infliximab, to a biosimilar product. In this article, Russell Cohen, M.D., discusses the positive outcomes of these switching studies.

New Insulin and Biosimilar Regulation

The Center for Biosimilars and key opinion leaders discuss critical issues including how insulins fit into the biologics’ regulatory framework, how payer policies affect provider freedom to use biosimilars and the pace of regulatory review.

Featured Resources

Securing Our Access & Savings

Every year, AAM releases a report documenting the billions of dollars that the U.S. health care system saves through generic and biosimilar prescription medicines. Check out the highlights from the 2020 report.

Global Roadmap for Tailored Clinical Biosimilar Development: Instrumental for Sustainable Access to Biologics

Following its first peer-reviewed scientific paper on biosimilar medicines development, the International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA) has released a new policy paper.

Infographic: Patients Have an Alternative to Expensive Biologic Medicines

Patients have an alternative to expensive biologic medicines. This new infographic highlights what patients need to know about biosimilars and how to increase access to these safe treatment options.

Infographic: Biosimilars Benefit Everyone

Biosimilars benefit everyone. This new infographic shows how we all — doctors, payers, and patients — can benefit from biosimilars.

Biosimilars in the Pharmacy Benefit Action Brief

This new resource from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions provides action steps for employers to drive biosimilar use and transparency.

Upcoming Events

GRx+Biosims Virtual Conference

November 9-11, 2020

Join us for the GRx+Biosims 2020 Virtual Conference November 9-11, 2020. This year – wherever you are – you can be part of the only online experience for generics and biosimilars professionals.

Sign up now for the GRx+Biosims virtual conference.

About the Biosimilars Council

The Biosimilars Council, a division of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), works to ensure a positive environment for patient access to biosimilar medicines. The Biosimilars Council is a leading source for information about the safety and efficacy of more affordable alternatives to costly brand biologic medicines. Areas of focus include public and health expert education, strategic partnerships, government affairs, legal affairs and regulatory policy. More information is available on our about page.

About AAM

AAM is driven by the belief that access to safe, quality, effective medicine has a tremendous impact on a person’s life and the world around them. Generic and biosimilar medicines improve people’s lives, improving society and the economy in turn. AAM represents the manufacturers and distributors of finished generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, manufacturers and distributors of bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic industry. Generic pharmaceuticals are 90 percent of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. but only 23 percent of total drug spending. Additional information is available at www.accessiblemeds.org.