Biosimilars – an imperfect copy but a perfect investment, says Bellevue

A wave of expiring biotech patents will lead to a surge in growth for manufacturers of biosimilars during the coming years, notes Bellevue Asset Management's healthcare team.

From an investor's standpoint, it is interesting to note the wave of patent expirations in the biotech industry that began in 2015 and will last until about 2022. Many of the drugs coming off patent are prescribed to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer. Biosimilars are highly similar copies of these drugs, says the BAM team. Over the next 10 years they are projected to generate savings of $44 billion in healthcare costs in the USA alone.

Regulatory aspects