title: Pharmacoeconomics of Biosimilars: What Is There to Gain from Them?
abstract: Despite representing a breakthrough in the treatment of immune-mediated rheumatic diseases, the direct costs of biotechnological therapies represent a burden to healthcare budgets worldwide. Furthermore, several studies demonstrated that socioeconomically constrained countries have poorer access to these therapies and this has consequences on the optimal management of rheumatic patients. Experience with small peptide biosimilars like filgrastim and epoetin confirmed significant cost savings but revealed variable market uptake. In this report, we summarize the available budget impact models and discuss possible determinants of the pharmacoeconomic performance of antirheumatic biosimilar drugs.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Hospital Ortopédico de Sant'Ana, SCML, Rua de Benguela, 2779-501, Parede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Filipe C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: iMed-Research Institute of Medicines, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa, Portugal. jecfonseca@gmail.com.|Rheumatology Research Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-035, Lisboa, Portugal. jecfonseca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: João Eurico
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals
keywords: Antirheumatic agents; Biosimilars; CT-P13; Pharmacoeconomics; Rheumatoid arthritis