Biosimilar medicines provide a tremendous opportunity for governments throughout Europe to increase patient access to treatment with modern biologic therapies while at the same time supporting the sustainability of healthcare budgets. These benefits will however only continue provided the biosimilar medicines market is developed in a sustainable way. The cornerstone of a sustainable biosimilar medicines market is the alignment of payers’ and manufacturers’ understanding of the benefits in both the short and long terms, a new report revealed today.
The research, undertaken by Simon Kucher & Partners on behalf of the Biosimilar Medicines Group, a Medicines for Europe sector group, takes a deep dive into biosimilar medicines pricing and market access policies across 7 European countries (DE, ES, FR, IT, NO, PL and the UK) and their impact on parameters such as biosimilar medicines use and price. Through a detailed analysis of today’s biosimilar medicines landscape, combined with interviews with payers, policy makers and industry representatives, Simon Kucher & Partners were able to develop principles supporting a sustainable biosimilar medicines market, taking into account the perspective of both payers and manufacturers.
Michael Dilger, Partner at Simon-Kucher & Partners, explained that “the challenge for a sustainable biosimilar medicines market is to align the perspectives of both payers and manufacturers. This report tried to develop principles for a sustainable biosimilar medicines market that were acceptable for both stakeholder groups.”
The research puts forward 13 principles, among which: the importance of healthy competition (multiple business operators), commercial attractiveness and a balanced relationship between price erosion and biosimilar medicines use in medical practice. Carol Lynch, Chair of the Biosimilar Medicines Group and Global Head of Biopharmaceuticals at Sandoz highlighted that, “a sustainable biosimilar medicines market is one that provides continued benefits to all stakeholders: increased access for patients, more treatment options for physicians, sustainability healthcare budgets for payers and business opportunities for manufacturers. Beyond the payer-industry relationship, a multi-stakeholder approach is crucial to develop a sustainable biosimilar medicines market and gainsharing in particular has proven to be a successful driver for increased utilisation of biosimilar medicines in medical practice throughout Europe providing benefits to all stakeholders”.
For full insight, please find the report here.
The report will also be presented through a dedicated webinar on Friday 23 September. For more information, please contact Andrea Bedorin at Medicines for Europe: abedorin@medicinesforeurope.com.