Sandoz demonstrates safety and efficacy of Neupogen biosimilar

Sandoz, the generics subsidiary of Swiss pharma major Novartis (NOVN: VX), has today released Phase III data that demonstrated similarity of its investigational biosimilar filgrastim compared to the US-licensed reference product, Amgen's (Nasdaq: AMGN) Neupogen (filgrastim) in the prevention of severe neutropenia in patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant myelosuppressive chemotherapy.

The study also showed that repeated switching at each cycle between the investigational biosimilar and the originator filgrastim showed no impact on efficacy, safety or immunogenicity.

The PIONEER study was a Phase III study designed to compare the efficacy and safety of the investigational biosimilar and the reference product with respect to mean duration of severe neutropenia following Cycle 1 chemotherapy. PIONEER was a randomized, double-blind, four-group, multicenter non-inferiority trial conducted at 27 centers. The trial randomized 218 breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant myelosuppressive chemotherapy.