Dr. Schmid on Evaluating Biosimilars in Oncology

Peter Schmid, MD, PhD, lead at the Centre for Experimental Cancer Medicine, Barts Cancer Institute, discusses the evaluation of biosimilars in oncology.

It is important to assess each and every biosimilar within the context of the trials they have been studied in, says Schmid. One has to consider the plausibility that there may be differences between the biologic and the biosimilar. However, if the data do indicate the similarity of the agents, there is no reason why they should not be used in practice. Ultimately, the use of biosimilars will have to be discussed on a case-by-case basis, says Schmid.

Notably, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom has started to introduce biosimilars for trastuzumab (Herceptin). Most recently, on June 13, 2019, ABP 980 (Kanjinti; trastuzumab-anns), a trastuzumab (Herceptin) biosimilar, was approved by the FDA in the United States for patients with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer and HER2-overexpressing metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. This marks the fifth regulatory approval for a trastuzumab biosimilar.