An overview of biosimilars and non-biologic complex drugs in Europe, the United States, and Canada and their relevance to multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The advent of biological medicines has significantly transformed the landscapes of many disease spaces and improved the lives of millions around the world. However, the structural complexity and sensitivity of such products result in a high price tag, adding to already financially strained healthcare systems. As these and other expensive complex drugs lose market exclusivity, stakeholders eagerly await the arrival of lower cost alternatives, such as biosimilars and subsequent entry non-biological complex drugs (NBCDs). Nevertheless, stakeholders remain uncertain about key issues which have resulted in heterogeneous reimbursement policies and varying levels of biosimilar uptake and subsequent entry NBCD approval processes between different markets. With the imminent introduction of both subsequent entry NBCDs and biosimilars for multiple sclerosis (MS), it is important to get a better understanding of this new class of products and how healthcare systems have been adapting to their use. This article defines biosimilars and subsequent entry NBCDs and provides an overview of how these products have been introduced in Europe, the United States, and Canada from a regulatory, health technology, and reimbursement perspective. In addition, this article briefly explores the potential impact and outlook of biosimilar and NBCD products related to MS.