Switching from IFX originator to biosimilar CT-P13 does not impact effectiveness,safety and immunogenicity in a large cohort of IBD patients

Nonmedical switch of anti-TNF-α biosimilars has no major clinical, pharmacokinetic and psychological impact on patients with IBD - the SAFER Study

BACKGROUND

Data on nonmedical switching from one anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α biosimilar to another in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are relatively sparse. We aimed to study the effects of nonmedical switch from infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 to SB2 and from adalimumab biosimilar ABP 501 to SB5.

METHODS

In this observational study, consecutive IBD patients receiving nonmedical switch were prospectively followed-up for 12 months. The primary outcome was treatment persistence; other outcomes included: secondary effectiveness outcomes, safety, immunogenicity, inflammatory makers levels and psychometric assessments.

RESULTS

A total of 119 and 76 patients were enrolled in the SB2 and SB5 cohorts. Persistence on treatment at 12 months was 84.0 % in the SB2 cohort and 78.9 % in the SB5 cohort. No clinically meaningful changes in other secondary effectiveness outcomes were recorded. Rates of 0.38 and 0.63 adverse events of interest per 100 patient-years were observed in the SB2 and SB5 cohorts. The pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of either drug were unaffected by nonmedical switch; similarly, levels of inflammatory cytokines remained largely unchanged. No changes in psychometric assessments were recorded.

CONCLUSION

Nonmedical switch of infliximab and adalimumab biosimilars does not significantly affect treatment effectiveness, safety and pharmacokinetics, nor does it have major psychological implications for patients.

The role of immunogenicity in optimizing biological therapies for inflammatory bowel disease

INTRODUCTION

Immunogenicity of biologic agents for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a critical issue, especially for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, where anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) significantly impact drug clearance, efficacy, and safety. Studies have demonstrated that non-TNF biologics tend to have lower susceptibility to immunogenicity, potentially offering advantages, especially in long-term management. Understanding these differences is important for optimizing IBD treatment outcomes.

AREAS COVERED

This review examines immunogenicity associated with different classes and individual biologic agents used in IBD; including TNF inhibitors and biologics targeting integrins and interleukins. We discuss key factors influencing ADAs formation, including drug structure, route of administration, and patient-specific factors. The literature reviewed includes recent clinical studies and long-term trials focusing on strategies to reduce immunogenicity such as therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and advanced combination.

EXPERT OPINION

While newer biologics demonstrate lower immunogenicity compared to anti-TNF agents, challenges remain in management to overcome existing ADAs responses while advances in genetic profiling, point-of-care TDM, and combination therapies offer promising pathways to reduce immunogenicity and enhance treatment durability. Continued research and innovation in biologic delivery methods, such as oral and subcutaneous formulations, will be critical in the next decade to further mitigate immunogenic risks and improve patient outcomes.

Clinical experience of using biosimilars in Crohn's disease and their effectiveness

INTRODUCTION

The approval of biosimilars in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has offered an answer to a growing concern about healthcare costs, and availability of treatments. Several studies have been conducted to demonstrate proof of biosimilars effectiveness as treatment in Crohn's disease (CD).

AREAS COVERED

Since 2013, the European Medicines Agency has approved five biosimilars for infliximab and eight for adalimumab. Initial data leading to approval were extrapolated from studies conducted in patients with rheumatological or dermatological diseases, but recent studies filled the gap of clinical data among patients with IBD. In this review, 75 studies were included, with data from a total of 20 707 patients with CD. Clinical data on biosimilars in the treatment of CD show equivalence in terms of efficacy, either as induction or maintenance of treatment and regardless of previous exposure to originator or other biosimilar.

EXPERT OPINION

Since biosimilar market entry, utilization of infliximab increased by 89.9% and by 22.4% for adalimumab in European countries. With a 10-year insight since the first approval of biosimilar in Europe, biosimilars prescriptions should be implemented in routine clinical practice given the efficacy and safety profile.

Systematic review: effectiveness and safety of switching between originator infliximab and biosimilar infliximab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

INTRODUCTION

Infliximab (IFX) biosimilars are available to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), offering cost reductions versus originator IFX in some jurisdictions. However, concerns remain regarding the efficacy and safety of originator-to-biosimilar switching. This systematic literature review evaluated safety and effectiveness of switching between IFX products in patients with IBD, including multiple switchers.

METHODS

Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to capture studies (2012-2022) including patients with IBD who switched between approved IFX products. Effectiveness outcomes: disease activity; disease severity; response to treatment; patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Safety outcomes: incidence and rate of adverse events (AEs); discontinuations due to AEs, failure rate; hospitalizations; surgeries. Immunogenicity outcomes (n, %): anti-drug antibodies; patients receiving concomitant immunomodulatory medication.

RESULTS

Data from 85 publications (81 observational, two randomized controlled trials) were included. Clinical effectiveness outcomes were consistent with the known profile of originator IFX with no difference after switching. There were no unexpected/serious AEs after switching, and rates of AEs were generally consistent with the known profile of IFX.

CONCLUSIONS

Most studies reported that clinical, PROs, and safety outcomes for originator-to-biosimilar switching were clinically equivalent to originator responses. Limited data are available regarding multiple switches.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero identifier is CRD42021289144.

Switching from originator infliximab to biosimilar versus continuing on originator in inflammatory bowel disease: results from the observational Project NORTH study

OBJECTIVE

Project NORTH compared real-world clinical and economic outcomes in Swedish patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who switched from originator infliximab to its biosimilar.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from electronic medical records and Swedish national registries were linked. Switchers (patients switching from originator infliximab to its biosimilar between 1 April 2014, and 31 December 2017) and non-switchers (patients who received originator infliximab and did not switch to a biosimilar by 31 December 2017) were followed up until 31 October 2019.

RESULTS

Baseline concomitant medication use, disease duration, and inflammatory markers were lower among switchers than non-switchers. At 6 months, the proportion of patients with stable disease was higher among switchers than non-switchers (71/109 [65%] vs 54/107 [50%]; p = .0385); differences were not significant in subsequent follow-ups. At 6 and 24 months, 98% and 93% of switchers, respectively, used concomitant medications versus 96% and 79% of non-switchers. Throughout the study, all-cause treatment discontinuation occurred in 74 (67%) switchers and 105 (95%) non-switchers. At 36-months, mean (SD) number of IBD-related in-patient care days was higher among non-switchers (2.95 [4.71]) than switchers (1.40 [4.20]), as were total medical costs (€16,740 vs €3,872).

CONCLUSIONS

No substantial differences in clinical outcomes or healthcare resource utilization were observed between switchers and non-switchers. Several analyses indicate that non-switchers might have more poorly controlled/severe disease than switchers at baseline. Overall, numerous difficulties might arise when executing a high-quality, real-world study, including possible selection bias for patients with better disease control for NMS, limiting the generalizability of the results.

An Introduction to Biosimilars for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases: A Narrative Review

Biological therapies have revolutionized the treatment of disease across a number of therapeutic areas including retinal diseases. However, on occasion, such treatments may be relatively more expensive compared to small molecule therapies. This can restrict patient access and treatment length leading to suboptimal clinical outcomes. Several biosimilar candidates of ranibizumab and aflibercept are currently in development and the first biosimilar of ranibizumab received EMA approval in August and FDA approval in September 2021. Biosimilars are biological medicines that are highly similar to an already-approved biological medicine (reference product). The physicochemical and clinical similarity of a biosimilar is determined by a rigorous analytical and clinical program, including extensive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analysis with phase III equivalence studies where appropriate. These phase III studies are carried out in a patient population that is representative of all of the potential approved therapeutic indications of the originator product and the most sensitive for detecting potential differences between the biosimilar and the reference product. Biosimilars have been used successfully across a wide range of therapeutic areas for the past 15 years where they have achieved substantial cost savings that can be reinvested into healthcare systems without affecting the quality of patient care. The current review provides an introduction to biosimilars with the aim of preparing retinal specialists for discussing these products with their patients.

Dynamics of serum concentrations of antibodies to infliximab: a new approach for predicting secondary loss of response in inflammatory bowel diseases

BACKGROUND

Antibodies to infliximab (ATI) in serum are associated with secondary loss of response (LOR) to infliximab (IFX) therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, feasible ATI-related predictors of therapy success are lacking and knowledge about individual ATI dynamics is limited. Therefore, this study analyzed whether ATI dynamics are able to predict LOR to IFX therapy and compared their predictive power with known predictors of LOR to IFX.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) on IFX maintenance therapy and proactive IFX and immunogenicity monitoring in an outpatient clinic in Germany. Slopes of ATI (S _ATI) and IFX levels (dynamic parameters) and medians of ATI, IFX, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin (static parameters) were calculated over a defined period of time after ATI emergence. Dynamic and static parameters were analyzed for associations with end points infliximab discontinuation due to secondary LOR and total IFX discontinuation.

RESULTS

In all, 500 visits from 38 IBD patients (28 CD, 10 UC) with a median IFX maintenance duration of 68.2 weeks were evaluated. Grouping by S _ATI (ATI-N = ATI nondetectable, ATI- ↓  = negative S _ATI, ATI- ↑  = positive S _ATI) yielded significant differences for outcomes LOR (p = 0.004) and total IFX discontinuation (p = 0.01). Patients in the ATI-↓ group survived significantly longer LOR-free compared with the ATI-↑ group (p = 0.02). Cox regression confirmed S _ATI to be a significant risk factor for LOR (p = 0.002). An S _ATI cut-off of approximately 2.0 AU mL^-1 week^-1 was determined to predict LOR with 83.3% sensitivity and 93.8% specificity.

CONCLUSION

The ATI slope-based index S _ATI is a new feasible diagnostic predictor of LOR in IBD patients. S _ATI may facilitate quick therapeutic decisions after ATI emerge.