Lack of familiarity with biosimilars among South Korean oncologists

South Korean oncologists are significantly less familiar with biosimilars than oncologists surveyed in Europe. This finding is despite the fact that South Korea has had an approval pathway for biosimilars since 2009 and the world’s first biosimilar monoclonal antibody, Celltrion’s Remsima (infliximab), was launched in South Korea.

According to health care advisory firm Decision Resources new report, titled Physician Perspectives on Biosimilars in South Korea and China, Chinese specialists have a similar level of familiarity with biosimilars to South Korean oncologists, even though no biosimilars exist in China (although locally produced biologics that have not demonstrated comparability to the related multinational brand are available). The report also finds that South Korean and Chinese specialists generally perceive that there are significant differences between biosimilars and their reference brands.

Familiarity expected to increase

“Over time, we expect physician familiarity with biosimilars to increase, driven by the growing number of biosimilars trials presented at major meetings, the expected introduction of a biosimilars pathway in China and the launch of oncology-specific biosimilars in South Korea,” said Decision Resources group director of biosimilars research Kate Keeping. “Generally, as physicians’ familiarity increases, so does the likelihood that they will perceive biosimilars to have no clinically meaningful differences to the reference brand, as the regulatory definitions stipulate,” she noted.