Dr. Novik on Benefits/Challenges of Implementing Biosimilars

Yelena Novik, MD, associate professor, NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, discusses the benefits and challenges of the global implementation of biosimilars.

Novik says she is a big proponent of people worldwide having access to life-saving drugs and that biosimilars are a way of making this reality. In breast cancer, there are some biosimilars being developed that target the HER2 molecule, among others. There is currently great hope that these drugs will soon become available in parts of the world that lack them. Overall, biosimilars can have a significant impact on the outcomes of breast cancer on a global scale, and Novik predicts the vast majority of her colleagues will vote in favor of their implementation.

Some challenges in the way of biosimilars are related to drug manufacturers. While there is no legislation against developing an agent similar to a company’s product, patent law could get in the way. The biggest thing in terms of getting oncologists on board is the quality assurance of these drugs, Novik says.