Pharma Preps for Major Exclusivity Losses

As biosimilars for blockbuster drugs like Humira and Keytruda begin to enter the market, pharma giants are preparing for major potential losses. A swath of high-priced therapeutics is also facing the ends of their patents and exclusivity, but biosimilars are not interchangeable like generics, so companies may not take the massive hit they are anticipating.

According to Jonathan Gardner, “Many biosimilars won’t be interchangeable, or directly substitutable, by pharmacists, for example. Physicians, meanwhile, may be reluctant to switch patients who are stable on the branded drug, meaning that initially it will be newly diagnosed patients with chronic diseases who are most likely to receive biosimilars. And because biosimilars are more expensive to develop and make, their manufacturers won’t be able to afford cutting prices by nearly as much as with generic pills.”

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(Source: Biopharma Dive, February 1^st, 2023)