Dr. McBride on Biosimilar Rituximab

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, discusses the oncology community’s reaction to biosimilars for rituximab (Rituxan).

Rituximab has shown impressive activity in multiple hematologic malignancies, including lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Rituximab has also shown a curative benefit over the years, McBride states.

As the widespread use of biosimilars grows, the emergence of rituximab biosimilars has garnered interest in their curative benefit and cost-saving potential; however, the use of these biosimilars as frontline therapy is met with some reluctance in the oncology community, McBride explains.

In McBride’s opinion, the biosimilar is a valuable asset and has applications in the frontline setting as well as in the relapsed/refractory setting. These agents could be used by many infusion sites across the United States; however, it will ultimately be up to the payer to decide, he concludes.