Partnering for patients: biosimilars to become a mainstay in treatment options

In an Expert View piece, Ivan Blanarik, senior vice president and head of biosimilars at privately-owned German pharma Boehringer Ingelheim, looks at how breakthrough advancements in biotechnology have enabled the pharmaceutical industry to step into a new area of healthcare with the development of biosimilars.

The introduction of biosimilars – starting in 2006 with the regulatory approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of the first biosimilar – was a natural step in pushing the boundaries of treatment innovation, discovering a way to manufacture a product that delivers the desired benefits while increasing the availability of safe, effective, high quality therapeutic options to patients around the world.

However, this process did not happen overnight. New leading-edge technology was required and a dedication from thousands of researchers to discover a new solution for patients and to ensure that additional treatment options are delivered to ultimately increase treatment choices. It is therefore important that we do not underestimate the intricacy of this process.