Dr. Martin on Provider Confidence With Biosimilars in Oncology

Miguel Martín, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the Complutense University, and head of the Medical Oncology Service at the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon in Madrid, Spain, discusses provider confidence with biosimilars in oncology.

Biosimilars go through a rigorous process to prove that they are similar to the originator product, says Martin. Requirements put forth by the FDA and European Medicine’s Agency ensure that biosimilars demonstrate similarity through a “totality of evidence” before they receive regulatory approval.

Despite the overall reluctance that surrounds biosimilars, provider confidence is likely to grow in the coming years, says Martin. Examples of oncologic biosimilars include PF-06439535 (bevacizumab-bvzr; Zirabev), a bevacizumab (Avastin) biosimilar; ABP 798 and PF-05280586 (rituximab-pvvr; Ruxience), rituximab (Rituxan) biosimilars; as well as CT-P6 (Herzuma; trastuzumab-pkrb) and ABP 980 (Kanjinti; trastuzumab-anns), trastuzumab (Herceptin) biosimilars.