Dr. Savin Discusses the Future of Biosimilars in Oncology

Michael A. Savin, MD, assistant professor of medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, discusses the future of biosimilars in oncology.

The future of biosimilars is a tough question, says Savin. That may be where a lot of the resistance comes from. It comes down to how you see the data, because biosimilars are not bioidenticals. Savin notes that physicians do not worry about whether it will hit the right target, but that the dynamics of its interaction with that target may be different. The degree to which it binds to the target and how easily it comes off of the target may likewise be different. Another consideration is whether it is going to make a difference if the molecular target on the cell has a certain shape. The efficacy may be hindered by that as well.

Part of the reason why physicians use pertuzumab (Perjeta) in addition to trastuzumab (Herceptin) is because they both target the HER2 molecule at different places. They also take away part of the molecule’s ability to hide. This is one reason why those two together have added another dimension to treatment, says Savin.