Positive real world evidence on physician-led switching to biosimilar meds; NOR-SWITCH study

Today at the United Gastro-Enterology (UEG) week in Vienna, the NOR-SWITCH results were presented highlighting that the physician-led switching between medicines containing the originator and biosimilar (CT-P13) versions of infliximab, Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) top-selling drug Remicade, led to the absence of statistical difference in patient outcomes.

This result is consistent with the fact that biosimilar medicines are approved to be medically interchangeable with their reference product, under the supervision of a clinical decision-maker, so that individual patient factors can be duly taken into account ( Position Paper). The NOR-SWITCH study is the largest such study to date and its results reinforce the available positive clinical evidence gathered with the use of biosimilar medicines in the last decade in Europe.

While there is a large number of ongoing physician-led switching and observational studies involving biologic medicines (originator and biosimilar), it is essential to highlight the uniqueness of the Norwegian framework in which this study was performed: the NOR-SWITCH study forms an integral part of a wider policy framework from the Norwegian government which involved all concerned stakeholders, including patients’ representatives, in the introduction of biosimilar medicines in clinical practice.