Lyman on Bringing Biosimilars From Bench to Bedside in Oncology

Welcome to OncLive On Air^™! I’m your host today, Caroline Seymour.

OncLive On Air^™ is a podcast from OncLive^®, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, OncLive^® covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions.

Today, we had the pleasure of speaking with Gary H. Lyman, MD, MPH, senior lead of Health Care Quality and Policy, at Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, professor in the Cancer Prevention Program within the Public Health Services Division, and professor in the Clinical Research Division within the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, to discuss the evolution of biosimilars in oncology.

In 2015, biosimilar filgrastim (Sandoz) became the first biosimilar to receive regulatory approval in the United States. Since then, several biosimilars for biologics such as bevacizumab (Avastin), trastuzumab (Herceptin), and rituximab (Rituxan) have been approved for cancer treatment. However, the United States experience with biosimilars is still relatively early, and it may take some time before health care systems are able to reap the intended effects of these agents, specifically with regard to cost savings and increased patient access.

In our exclusive interview, Lyman discussed the current state of biosimilars in oncology, the pathways that have been established to ensure the safe delivery of these agents to patients, and the potential effects they could have on alleviating some of the current constraints within the health care system.