Dr. McBride on the Potential Impact of Bevacizumab Biosimilars in Oncology

Ali McBride, PharmD, MS, BCOP, Clinical Coordinator of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Arizona Cancer Center, and President-Elect of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), discusses the potential impact of bevacizumab (Avastin) biosimilars in oncology.

The introduction of bevacizumab biosimilars have the potential to change the market. With current projections, the biosimilar would not be available to market until 2020, says McBride. In the interim, several other bevacizumab biosimilars may be introduced into the market; if this happens, competition could drive price down even further.

The expectation is that the cost of the drug will be reduced by anywhere from 25% to 50%. A cost reduction of that scale could positively impact Oncology Care Model practice sites by decreasing cost and increasing access, which may reverberate to the overall United States health system. However, it is hard to say for sure, concludes McBride.