Lisa Golden, the group general manager of marketing for Arrotex Pharmaceuticals, spoke with BioPharmaDispatch about the company's move into biosimilars, their increasing uptake and the need to introduce a 'patient signal' to support switching.
The company has quickly emerged as a major player in biosimilars, focusing on increasing their utilisation in the community pharmacy setting.
"I have worked very closely with the GBMA on the uptake and utilisation of generics and biosimilars. Most recently I have focused on the 'Arrotex biologics initiative'," she said, pointing to a portfolio of three biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), including two brands of adalimumab and one etanercept. Ms Golden, who is also on the board of the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA), said the company has just celebrated two years since its creation with the merger of Arrow and Apotex.
Arrotex recently announced the appointment of ex-Pharmacy Guild national president George Tambassis as the inaugural chair of the advisory board for its Australian Biosimilars Academy.
"The Australian Biosimilars Academy came from the Arrotex biologic strategy overall and that is really about driving education and advocacy for biosimilars and biologics in the community pharmacy space. So we identified that there was an opportunity for us to take a leadership position in educating pharmacists and pharmacy staff, and ultimately then patients and prescribers, about biologics and biosimilars. In addition to that, it is really taking an advocacy position, which is where someone like George Tambassis and his experience with the Guild in the last nine years can really drive the advocacy for biosimilars and the switch from biologics to biosimilars in community pharmacy," said Ms Golden.
She said the company will spend the next six to twelve months inviting major customers from its retail brands and groups to join the advisory board.
"We see the opportunity to pull together the collective resource, knowledge and expertise that we have in the industry to drive a greater outcome, both from an education and an advocacy standpoint. We are expecting that we will create some working groups, again leveraging the resource we have within the industry to drive the greater outcome for the good of the industry," said Ms Golden, adding, "I think from a strategic standpoint, it is really about the concept that a rising tide lifts all boats, working together within the industry."
Arrotex has reported strong uptake of the adalimumab biosimilars since their listing on the PBS on 1 April.
"Most pharmacies are now keeping these biosimilar products in the fridge and then ultimately switching." Ms Golden said the new adalimumab brands have gained market share more rapidly than previously reimbursed bDMARD biosimilars.
"I think that comes off the back of a few things. I think certainly the PBS uptake drivers, biosimilar uptake drivers have helped. I think we have got a lot more experience with biosimilars in the market now - real-world experience and prescribers are getting a little bit more comfortable with them."
"A big focus for us is really on helping the pharmacy engage with their patients to ensure that if they are switching the patient, that they know how to use the device and they have a good experience, overall," she said, adding, "We are expecting that we will continue to see increased substitution and switch rates within our community pharmacies. We have now got just over 500 pharmacies switching over 50 per cent for adalimumab, which is a fantastic result two months in."
Ms Golden said the GBMA and its member companies would like to see additional reforms to encourage further uptake of biosimilars, particularly a 'patient signal' like a differential co-payment.
