Biosimilars: A Comparative Study of Regulatory, Safety and Pharmacovigilance Monograph in the Developed and Developing Economies

Abstract

Epitomizing one of the rapidly maturing segments of pharmaceutical industry, biologics gestalt has severely implicated treatment algorithms of many life-threatening diseases especially in oncology, immunology, diabetes, and irresistible infections through integration of biologics in the clinical practice guidelines. As of 2021, the impact is expected to gain resilience as more patents on new biological drugs (such as Erbitux, Avastin, Orencis) are going off. Growing acceptance, trusting on stringent risk-benefits assessment, cost-effectiveness, and potential for return on investment, drive the global market of biosimilars is expected to remain steadfast in the following years; hence knowing about regulatory requirements for approval, opportunities, and barriers to biosimilars uptake in the biggest markets of USA, European Union, Canada, and Asia-Pacific (India and Pakistan) is warranted for development of effective biosimilars marketing strategies. This article reviews the biosimilars development from the beginning (historic) to the end (development & marketing approval perspectives) and then tries to present a clear picture on areas that are still uncertain concerning the biosimilars landscape especially the biologics effect on immunogenicity, the provocative issue of interchangeability, and extrapolation of indications.