In a way to bring cost-effective cancer treatment options, the FDA has approved the first biosimilar of bevacizumab drug. The FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said, “We’ll continue to work hard to ensure that biosimilar medications are brought to the market quickly.” The FDA has suggested that all healthcare professionals should review the prescribing information in the labeling for approved uses. What are Biologics and Biosimilars? Biologic drugs are made by a living cell, typically an engineered bacterium or a yeast.
Biologic drugs can help with lots of different conditions in the body, like monoclonal antibodies to fight cancer, or Neupogen to boost white blood cells for patients undergoing chemotherapy. When the patent surrounding a biologic's formula is no longer protected, multiple companies can release a drug with the same chemical recipe, driving the cost down. That new biologic…
