Gauging the Biosimilar Effect: will the Market Boom or Bust?
It was supposed to be the “epoch of biosimilars”, or drugs that copied existing biologics but had the potential to be more cost-effective. Yet five years later, biosimilars have failed to reach their forecasted potential of $16.4 billion in sales this year, falling short to just $235 million in 2010.
The pitfalls—everything from cost and unfavorable US legislation to a lack of interchangeability and physician resistance—have led some in the industry to ring the death knell. Yet according to others, the market remains alluring, predominantly because it represents life-changing medicine and the future of healthcare.
Scope
Report Overview
Cast against European and particularly German experiences, Gauging the Biosimilar Effect: will the market boom or bust? looks at the current state-of-play for biosimilars. The report, based on 16 industry interviews, examines the drivers and resistors to the still-unproven biosimilars market. The report moves from a general discussion of biosimilars to an explanation why they proved immediately popular in Germany. Market drivers—patent expiry, developing markets and costs savings—are reflected against the roadblocks, including high barriers to entry, lack of substitution, repressive US legislation and the physicians’ reluctance to engage. Finally, the report reviews the responses of both innovator and biosimilar companies, as well as their strategies for future success.
Highlights
Key Report Features
Key Benefits
“I think that the biosimilar market will become a part of the landscape where major pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies will control that market, and use the biosimilar market as a means to extend the lifecycle of their innovative franchises.”
– Clifford Mintz, Management Consultant
“In the US and other countries where there is much more importance placed on price, and where the private sector insurers are a lot more involved, and where government is now seeking to reduce drug spending, yes, price could very well be the number one determinant of gaining market share for biosimilars in the US market.”
– Ronald Rader, President of the Biotechnology Information Institute
“Unless you have 100% patient interchangeability, you don’t have 100% medication interchangeability. You have acceptable ranges. But an acceptable range for a generic statin is one thing. An acceptable interchangeability rate for rheumatoid arthritis is something else entirely.”
– Peter Pitts, President and Cofounder, Center for Medicine in the Public Interest
Expert Views
The pitfalls—everything from cost and unfavorable US legislation to a lack of interchangeability and physician resistance—have led some in the industry to ring the death knell. Yet according to others, the market remains alluring, predominantly because it represents life-changing medicine and the future of healthcare.
Scope
Report Overview
Cast against European and particularly German experiences, Gauging the Biosimilar Effect: will the market boom or bust? looks at the current state-of-play for biosimilars. The report, based on 16 industry interviews, examines the drivers and resistors to the still-unproven biosimilars market. The report moves from a general discussion of biosimilars to an explanation why they proved immediately popular in Germany. Market drivers—patent expiry, developing markets and costs savings—are reflected against the roadblocks, including high barriers to entry, lack of substitution, repressive US legislation and the physicians’ reluctance to engage. Finally, the report reviews the responses of both innovator and biosimilar companies, as well as their strategies for future success.
Highlights
Key Report Features
- Comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the biosimilars market
- Insight into the resistors and drivers to biosimilar uptake
- Strategies on how to improve biosimilar spending
- Discussion of how the branded industry should respond to defend market share
Key Benefits
- Insight from 16 industry leaders from Europe, the US and Canada
- Unique insight into the German biosimilars market
- Recommendations of how the industry can move forward
- What are the drivers and resistors of biosimilar uptake?
- Why was Germany the most successful market for biosimilars
- What strategies should biosimilar manufacturers do to increase uptake
- How should the branded industry respond?
- How will the biosimilars industry evolve and what forces will shape it
- Executive Management
- Sales and Marketing Executives
- Pricing and Reimbursement Teams
- Medical and Scientific Affairs Professionals
- Pharmaceutical Consultants
- Strategic Planning Executives
- Clinical Development Professionals
- Regulatory and Government Affairs Managers
“I think that the biosimilar market will become a part of the landscape where major pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies will control that market, and use the biosimilar market as a means to extend the lifecycle of their innovative franchises.”
– Clifford Mintz, Management Consultant
“In the US and other countries where there is much more importance placed on price, and where the private sector insurers are a lot more involved, and where government is now seeking to reduce drug spending, yes, price could very well be the number one determinant of gaining market share for biosimilars in the US market.”
– Ronald Rader, President of the Biotechnology Information Institute
“Unless you have 100% patient interchangeability, you don’t have 100% medication interchangeability. You have acceptable ranges. But an acceptable range for a generic statin is one thing. An acceptable interchangeability rate for rheumatoid arthritis is something else entirely.”
– Peter Pitts, President and Cofounder, Center for Medicine in the Public Interest
Expert Views
- Gillian Woollett, Vice President, Avalere Health
- Louis-Christian Clauss, Senior Consultant, Hisut SA and Atheln Biomed
- Peter Pitts, President and Cofounder, Center for Medicine in the Public Interest
- Markus Hauser, Director Strategic Commercial Effectiveness, Biogen Idec
- Alex Kanarek, Senior Consultant, BioProcess Technology Consultants Inc.
- Sandy Eisen, Chief Medical Officer, Frontline Pharma Consulting
- Andrew Bourgoin, Pharmaceutical Research Analyst, Thomson Reuters
- Andrew Merron, Director, Biosimilars Advisory Service & Oncology, Decision Resources
- Ronald Rader, President, Biotechnology Information Institute
- Steven Grossman, Consultant, Public Policy and FDA
- Magdalena Leszczyniecka, Founder and CEO, STC Biologics Inc.
- Kristie Kuhl, Senior Vice President, Makovsky & Co.
- Clifford Mintz, Management Consultant
- Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Commercial Executive in the Pharmaceutical Industry
- Regina Au, Strategic Marketing Consultant, BioMarketing Insight
- Michael Castagna, Executive Director, Immunoscience Division, Bristol-Myers Squibb
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BIOLOGICS
The Biologics Market
Patent Landscape
Innovation comes at a cost
BIOSIMILARS
Terminology
Regulatory Overview
THE BIOSIMILARS MARKET
This is not a generics market
EU’s biosimilars market
Biosimilar uptake in the EU
Initial uptake was rapid in Germany
Reference Pricing System
Reimbursement system
Pre-defined quotas
MARKET DRIVERS AND RESISTORS
Market Drivers
Cost savings
Patent expiry
Fierce competition
Growth of developing markets
Expanding uses of drugs
Market Resistors
High barriers to entry
Cost
Technical challenges
Clinical challenges
Lack of substitution and interchangeability
Substitution
Interchangeability
Wholesale switching
Therapeutic substitution
Unfavorable biosimilars laws in the US
Period of market exclusivity
Data sharing
Reluctant physicians
Switching
Lack of physician and patient education
Outright opposition to biosimilars
Lack of incentives
Patient and public misperception
Assignment of the International Nonproprietary Name (INN)
RESPONSE FROM INNOVATOR COMPANIES
Reduce the price of the innovator drug
Form a biosimilars division
Partner with a biosimilars company
Rely on their resources
Develop innovative second-generation drugs
RESPONSE FROM BIOSIMILARS COMPANIES
Make a capital investment
Develop competitive marketing strategies
Early entry strategies
Direct marketing
Emerging markets
Choice of target
Form partnerships
Have a legal strategy in place
MARKET OUTLOOK
SUMMARY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BIOLOGICS
The Biologics Market
Patent Landscape
Innovation comes at a cost
BIOSIMILARS
Terminology
Regulatory Overview
THE BIOSIMILARS MARKET
This is not a generics market
EU’s biosimilars market
Biosimilar uptake in the EU
Initial uptake was rapid in Germany
Reference Pricing System
Reimbursement system
Pre-defined quotas
MARKET DRIVERS AND RESISTORS
Market Drivers
Cost savings
Patent expiry
Fierce competition
Growth of developing markets
Expanding uses of drugs
Market Resistors
High barriers to entry
Cost
Technical challenges
Clinical challenges
Lack of substitution and interchangeability
Substitution
Interchangeability
Wholesale switching
Therapeutic substitution
Unfavorable biosimilars laws in the US
Period of market exclusivity
Data sharing
Reluctant physicians
Switching
Lack of physician and patient education
Outright opposition to biosimilars
Lack of incentives
Patient and public misperception
Assignment of the International Nonproprietary Name (INN)
RESPONSE FROM INNOVATOR COMPANIES
Reduce the price of the innovator drug
Form a biosimilars division
Partner with a biosimilars company
Rely on their resources
Develop innovative second-generation drugs
RESPONSE FROM BIOSIMILARS COMPANIES
Make a capital investment
Develop competitive marketing strategies
Early entry strategies
Direct marketing
Emerging markets
Choice of target
Form partnerships
Have a legal strategy in place
MARKET OUTLOOK
SUMMARY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
