Analysis: Copycat biotech drugs slow to take off in Europe

These cheaper versions of expensive biotech drugs, known as biosimilars, could slash the cost of treating diseases like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis in the same way that generics have curbed spending on traditional medicines. But although Europe has pioneered their path to market - approving the first biosimilar drug in 2006 and the latest, an antibody drug from U.S.-based Hospira and Celltrion of South Korea, in September - uptake has been patchy. Norway hopes to kick-start uptake of these products by funding clinical studies in which patients will be switched from original drugs to biosimilars in order to reassure doctors that the copycat versions are just as good. The 2014 Norwegian studies will compare Johnson & Johnson's and Merck & Co's Remicade drug for rheumatoid arthritis - which sold more than $2 billion in Europe last year - to Hospira and Celltrion's new copy, Inflectra.



via Health News Headlines - Yahoo! News http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-copycat-biotech-drugs-slow-off-europe-055920997--finance.html