By the Numbers: Originator Biologics and Biosimilars Come Out on Top
January 21, 2021
There’s nothing modest about the biologic and biosimilar industry. Here are some figures that highlight the strength of this continually evolving ecosystem.
Bird’s eye view
7: Number of biologics in the top 10 best-selling drugs in Canada, accounting for $5.3B in annual sales.1,2
2015: The year Health Canada approved the first biosimilar for a high-cost originator biologic.1
31: Number of biosimilars approved in Canada, with a further 10 under review.1
3.9%: Biosimilars’ share of total Canadian biologic prescriptions as of June 2020.3
Biologic powerhouse
$1.1B: Annual sales of originator biologic Remicade (infliximab), the top-ranked drug in Canada by sales value.4
2%: Year-over-year growth of Remicade as of June 2020, 8 years after loss of patent.4
2015: Year that the first infliximab biosimilar, Inflectra, was approved by Health Canada; 3 other biosimilars have received NOC since that time.5
10.3%: Biosimilar share of the infliximab market as of November 2020,6 compared to a median uptake of 55% across OECD countries.35
Kinetic energy
$930M: Annual sales of Humira (adalimumab), ranked #2 in Canada by sales value.4
8.5%: Humira’s year-over-year growth as of June 2020.4
6: Number of adalimumab biosimilars expected to enter the market in early 2021.5
$300M: Potential savings this biosimilar competition could generate for Canadian payers.5
Bold steps in British Columbia
75%: Proportion of BC patients who successfully transitioned to biosimilars during Phase One and Two of BC’s Biosimilars Switching Initiative.7
$127M: Estimated savings netted by the initiative as of August 2020.8
$22M: Savings reported in June 2020 by Pacific Blue Cross in June 2020, after the private payer aligned with the initiative.9
2: Additional medications, Jardiance & Taltz, that BC Pharmacare was able to include in its formulary thanks to the savings from the initiative.10
Meanwhile, in Ontario
35%: Expected proportion of infliximab and etanercept patients in Ontario who will be using a biosimilar product in early 2022, absent a provincial biosimilar policy.11
References:
20Sense research. January 2021.
IQVIA report: 2019 top-50 products by total ethical purchases.
Specialty Pharma virtual summit, Session 5: the future of biosimilars in Canada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb43_JfBztA&feature=youtu.be
IQVIA report: Leading biologics by drugstore & hospital sales, 12 months ending June 2020.
20Sense research. January 2021.
IQVIA report: PharmaFocus 2024 Update. Canadian Drugstore and Hospital Audit. MAT November 2020.
British Columbia Biosimilars Initiative for Pharmacies: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/pharmacare/pharmacies/biosimilars-initiative-pharmacies
Hagen T. British Columbia moves into third phase of mandatory switching. AJMC. The Center for Biosimilars. Aug. 25, 2020. https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/view/british-columbia-moves-into-third-phase-of-mandatory-switching
Biosimilars transitioning: a private payor’s journey. Pacific Blue Cross. https://virtualsymposium.cadth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Poster_1895.pdf
B.C. expands use of biosimilars to offer coverage for more treatment options. BC Gov News, May 27, 2019. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019HLTH0080-001072
Utilization of Innovator Biologics and Biosimilars for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases in Canada: A Provincial Perspective. CADTH. Jan. 2020. https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/ou-tr/ho0007-biosimilars-utilization-final.pdf
Humphries B et al. Case study to explore patient-level impact of adoption of subsequent entry biologic anti-TNF medicines. PDCI Market Access. https://www.capt-actp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/26-PDCI_CAPT_Biosimilar-Adoption-Poster_October-2020.pdf
2020 Drug Trends and Strategic Insights. HBM+. https://hbmplus.ca/en-ca/Our-publications/2020-Drug-Trends-and-Strategic-Insights-Report
Pan-Canadian Oncology Biosimilars Summit. March 2019. https://www.cancercareontario.ca/sites/ccocancercare/files/assets/PanCanadianBiosimilarsSummitProceedingsReport_0.pdf
The Future of Biosimilars in Canada. Specialty Pharma Virtual Summit, September 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb43_JfBztA&feature=youtu.be
Murdoch B, Caulfield T. The Law and Ethics of Switching from Biologic to Biosimilar in Canada. JCAG 2020; 3:228.
Inserro A. Nocebo effect can hamper biosimilar acceptance, review says. AJMC. The Center for Biosimilars. Dec. 6, 2019. https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/view/nocebo-effect-can-hamper-biosimilar-acceptance-review-says
Biosimilars initiative for pharmacies. British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/pharmacare/pharmacies/biosimilars-initiative-pharmacies
Hagen T. British Columbia Moves Into Third Phase of Mandatory Switching. AJMC. The Center for Biosimilars. August 25, 2020. https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/view/british-columbia-moves-into-third-phase-of-mandatory-switching
B.C. expands use of biosimilars to offer coverage for more treatment options. BC Gov News, May 27, 2019. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019HLTH0080-001072
Notice – tiered biologics reimbursement policy. Effective August 15, 2018. Manitoba. https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare/profdocs/notice_tiered_biologics.pdf
Provincial and territorial biologic policies. GI society. June 2020. https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/provincial-biologics-policies/
2020 prescription drug trend report. Express Scripts Canada. https://www.express-scripts.ca/sites/default/files/ESC%20DTR%202020%20EN%20(final).pdf
Safety of switching biologics and their interchangeability. INESSS. https://www.inesss.qc.ca/fileadmin/doc/INESSS/Rapports/Medicaments/CoupDoeil_switching_biologics_EN.pdf
Current and prospective utilization of innovator biologics and biosimilars in Ontario. ODPRN. January 2020. https://odprn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Utilization-of-Innovator-Biologics-and-Biosimilars-in-Ontario.pdf
Ontario becomes third Canadian province to switch patients to biosimilars. GaBI Online. June 3, 2020. https://www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/General/Ontario-becomes-third-Canadian-province-to-switch-patients-to-biosimilars
Utilization of Innovator Biologics and Biosimilars for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases in Canada: A Provincial Perspective. CADTH. January 2020. https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/ou-tr/ho0007-biosimilars-utilization-final.pdf
Dossa A. Biosimilar transitioning: A private payor’s journey. CADTH symposium, June 2020. https://virtualsymposium.cadth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Poster_1895.pdf
Patient support program enrolment forms. RheumInfo. https://rheuminfo.com/physician-tools/patient-support-program-enrolment-forms/#Truxima
Introducing Canada’s only electronic prior authorization. Telus Health. https://plus.telushealth.co/page/healthbenefits/epa/
The 20Sense Report, issue #11, January 23, 2020. https://www.20sense.ca/issue-11/2020/1/23/one-psp-challenge-four-big-ideas
Pan-Canadian Oncology Biosimilars Initiative Action Plan. March 2019. https://www.cancercareontario.ca/sites/ccocancercare/files/assets/PanCanadianOncologyBiosimilarsActionPlan_0.pdf
Reducing Uncertainty and Driving the Uptake of Biosimilars. Panel Discussion. 2020 CADTH Symposium.
Information and resources on biosimilar drugs for health care professionals. BC Cancer. http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/biosimilar-drugs
Poster: Biosimilars in Canada: Current Environment and Future Opportunity, PMPRB. http://www.pmprb-cepmb.gc.ca/CMFiles/NPDUIS/2019_Posters/poster8-biosimilars.pdf.