Biologics industry voices support for FDA naming convention

Industry group the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM) claims there is “overwhelming support” for the US Food and Drug Administration’s new suffix-based naming system for biologic medicines and biosimilars.

ASBM, part of a network of industry-funded groups focused on promoting the branded biologics sector, cites comments electronically submitted to the agency from US physicians and patient advocacy groups.

For interchangeable biosimilars, to help differentiate products, the FDA is planning to apply a distinguishing suffix to the generic name. This will be created using letters that are devoid of meaning themselves.