Biosimilars for Rare Diseases
Biosimilars are biological products that are highly similar to an already approved reference biologic, known as the originator or reference product. Biosimilars are developed to have a comparable quality, safety, and efficacy profile to the reference product.
Here are some key points about biosimilars:
Regulatory Approval: Biosimilars undergo a rigorous regulatory approval process to demonstrate their similarity to the reference product. The specific requirements for approval may vary across countries, but they generally involve extensive analytical and clinical studies to establish biosimilarity.
Similarity not Identical: Biosimilars are not identical copies of the reference product but are highly similar in terms of quality attributes, biological activity, and clinical performance. Minor differences may exist due to the inherent complexity of biologics and the manufacturing process, but these differences are not clinically meaningful.