Breaking Down Biosimilars

New biosimilars are coming to market and there is a lot of confusion among patients about what this will mean for their treatment plan. We called on patient advocates Cristina Montoya and Lene Andersen to hear directly about their experience on a biologic and biosimilar, respectively. In this first of a two-part episode, Cristina discusses starting a biosimilar and Lene shares about her experience on a biologic. We learn about the types of questions and concerns that go into treatment decisions, the nerves of starting a new treatment, and how support programs can help. "You know, let's give it a try,” says Cristina, when sharing with us what she said to her rheumatologist about trying her first biosimilar, “and I felt better knowing that I've been having this conversation for a long time.” Among the highlights in this episode: 03:26- Zoe and Conner kick off the episode by introducing special guests Lene Anderson and Cristina Montoya 04:27- Zoe asks Cristina and Lene about the first time they heard about biosimilars 06:01- Cristina tells Zoe about the change in her mindset about biosimilars 07:33- Conner and Zoe clarify and differentiate the terms biologics and biosimilars 07:52- Cristina walks us through the process of getting prescribed a biosimilar 10:59- Lene and Cristina discuss the use of patient support programs 12:26- Zoe and Conner pause to reflect on the conversation so far and to give three helpful tips 15:43- Cristina shares that despite initial hurdles, delivery of her biosimilars has been on schedule 16:43- Cristina shares the questions and concerns she had before starting biosimilars 19:04- Lene shares her questions and concerns about biosimilars Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Through conversations with patient advocates Cristina Montoya and Lene Andersen, we learn that many of the emotions and discussions around starting (and staying on) a treatment are in fact the same for biosimilars and biologics. In the second of a two-part episode, Cristina and Lene discuss that feeling when you know your treatment is working, the possibility of adjusting medications, and ultimately, if they feel more comfortable with biosimilars. “One of the things that can be such a joyful part of the process is when it starts working.  And all of a sudden, you can do this thing that you haven't been able to do for months. And that's really incredible,” says Lene Andersen. Among the highlights in this episode: 01:50- Lene and Cristina tell Zoe and Conner what injection day is like 04:21- Lene and Cristina talk about the side effects that may come on injection day 06:08- Lene and Cristina talk about the process of getting the timing of their injections correct 08:26- Zoe asks Lene and Cristina what they decide to bring up with their physician at appointments 11:01- Lene and Cristina share the moments of joy where they noticed the treatments were working 12:27- Conners asks Cristina if she is happy that she made the switch to biosimilars 13:05- Zoe asks Lene about her thoughts on biosimilars after hearing Cristina share her experience 16:03- Lene and Cristina remind the listener that the symptoms of arthritis are guaranteed, the side effects from the treatments vary Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many patients have questions and may be reluctant to make the switch to biosimilars at first. In this episode, hosts Zoe Rothblatt and Conner Mertens talk to a few patients about their experiences starting a biosimilar. They discuss some of the hurdles they face, like overcoming hesitancy, getting insurance coverage, and setting up delivery with a specialty pharmacy. “After having a conversation with my rheumatologist, she explained that the biosimilar that I would be taking is very, very similar to the original one, and the difference really lies more so in the branding and the naming of it as opposed to the actual efficacy of the medication,” says Lauren McClinton, who takes a biosimilar for idiopathic arthritis. Among the highlights in this episode: 2:03 – One patient says searching for information about biosimilars online can often be confusing 3:55 – Medical providers should be aware of all prescribing options for biosimilars 4:27 – Patients can be their own advocates 5:15 – Doctors need to better explain the differences between biologics and biosimilars to patients 8:56 – What about when a biosimilar is the only choice? 9:47 – Your doctor is you ally Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We want to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biosimilar medications must still win approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this episode, co-hosts Zoe Rothblatt and Conner Mertens explore that approval process, and explain the unique naming convention the FDA came up with for biosimilars. “They were really, really driven to understand how their naming convention was being used. And I think that’s pretty admirable, that it’s not just that you’re putting out this standard and saying, ‘This is the standard and you have to follow it'," says Criswell Lavery, Clinical Research Coordinator, University of Pennsylvania Among the highlights in this episode: 2:15 – Getting biosimilars approved – the abbreviated pathway 3:55 – Why biosimilars have strange names – and why those names have safety implications 5:37 – Working with the FDA on the approval process 10:13 – Extrapolation, and how it can potentially bring down costs for patients 11:59 – What’s ‘interchangeability’ all about? 14:23 – The FDA approves the first biosimilar as interchangeable Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Zoe and Conner check in with several patients who’ve made the switch to a biosimilar to find out how they’re doing. Some patients taking a biosimilar have to travel to an infusion site to receive their medication, while others inject their medication at home. In those cases, biosimilars can only be processed and delivered through specialty pharmacies. We hear how several people are handling the adjustment. "I actually enjoy my infusion day. The best thing to do is call this ‘me time’," says Shelley Fritz, who takes the biosimilar Inflectra for her rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. Among the highlights in this episode: 2:00 – Traveling to an infusion site to receive a biosimilar, and what that process entails 4:32 – Self-injecting a biosimilar at home 6:20 – How specialty pharmacies coordinate deliver and follow-up for biosimilars patients 7:19 – Tackling fatigue with a biosimilar 9:17 – How the ‘Spoon Theory’ helps one patient allocate energy resources each day Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When biosimilars were introduced into the US, there was much talk about how much money they could potentially save patients. Getting a biosimilar developed and approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is not as rigorous or time-consuming as for a biologic … which was touted as being more economical. And insurance companies were supposed to pass along savings to consumers. In this episode, Zoe and Conner look at why that hasn’t happened to any large degree, and what can be done about it. “I think there’s going to be a healthy competition on pricing that we haven’t had until now,” says Dr. Simon Helfgott, rheumatologist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. Among the highlights in this episode: 2:40 – Why the big savings haven’t materialized 4:25 – What happens when insurance companies arbitrarily change biosimilar coverage 5:21 – Options available to patients 7:03 – How competition could ultimately help consumers 8:49 – Pharmacy benefit managers, and why they don’t benefit patients 11:00 – Rebate contracting, and how it keeps the market share for biosimilars low 12:24 – The good news: Slightly more aggressive pricing structures, and lower costs for some employees Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biosimilars were first introduced into the US market about six years ago, but getting the all-important “patient buy-in” has been a slow process. Many patients are reluctant to switch to a biosimilar if they’re already happy taking a biologic. But another reason is the proliferation of myths and misinformation about biosimilars, which can be difficult to counteract. In this episode, Zoe and Conner talk to a few medical professionals about the most common biosimilar falsehoods, and what can be done to stop their spread. Among the highlights in this episode: 1:58 – The FDA begins cracking down on misinformation 2:47 – Myth #1: Patients confuse biosimilar drugs with generic drugs 3:06 – Doctors’ initial concerns about quality control 3:38 – Hesitancy about ‘transferability’ 4:54 – Myth #2: Biosimilars won’t save money 5:50 – Myth #3: Biologics are natural monopolies Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The introduction of biosimilars in the US has been hampered by unrealized cost savings, myths and misinformation, and patient hesitancy. Still, many medical professionals see much to be optimistic about in the next few years. New biosimilars will soon be approved for the US market, and expectations are that costs will begin to come down as a result. In this episode, Zoe and Conner discuss some of the good news about biosimilars. “I think what we’re seeing now is a critical mass. And I think that in the next 3 to 5 years, we’re going to see a deluge, because all of the self-injectable drugs that are waiting to come on the market will be finally be able to do that,” says Dr. Simon Helfgott, a rheumatologist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. Among the highlights in this episode: 2:23 – New biosimilars will hit the US market in 2023 3:30 – Self-injectable biosimilars should also be available in a 3 to 5 years 4:00 – How pricing issues can be addressed 4:31 – Will insurance companies become more flexible about covering biosimilars? 5:05 – Greater access to biosimilars will improve the outlook 6:00 – Some patients are already seeing the benefits Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biosimilar medications were introduced into the US market in 2015, but they’re still relatively unfamiliar to many people. In our first episode, co-hosts Zoe Rothblatt and Conner Mertens provide an overview of biosimilars – what they are, how they can help with certain medical conditions, and the main differences between biosimilars, biologics and generic medications. “If we have a patient with rheumatoid arthritis and they take the original biologic or the biosimilar, their rheumatoid arthritis will improve with either of them,” says internal medicine physician Dr. Sameer Awsare. Among the highlights in this episode: 1:27 - Common questions about biosimilars 2:07 – How are generic drugs different from biologic drugs? 2:48 – The complexities of replicating a biologic drug 4:33 – Are biosimilars just as effective as biologics? 6:11 – Talking to your doctor about taking a biosimilar 10:13 – New developments on the horizon Contact Our Hosts: Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected] We’d love to hear what you think. Send your comments to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.