According to Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, the managed care sector’s willingness to accept larger rebates from manufacturers of originator biologics to preserve formulary coverage may seriously hinder the long-term success of the biosimilar industry. And more importantly, the ability to control biologic costs through competition.
In remarks made to a national meeting of America’s Health Insurance Plans’ (AHIP) in Washington, DC, Dr. Gottlieb worried that biosimilar manufacturers may start to believe that “the system is rigged against them.”
In terms of patent litigation, that certainly may seem true. However, Pfizer’s complaint that Janssen is undercutting its discounts by providing plans and insurers additional rebates would seem to be a practice that big pharma has used for years (Pfizer included). Therefore, Dr. Gottlieb is asking payers to turn aside those rebate offers and instead cover the biosimilars, at least for new patients.
He stated that the FDA is “invested in making sure that the new biosimilar pathway works, and that we can help facilitate a robust market for these products. So, we take note when we see market practices that can reduce the incentive for sponsors to invest in the development of biosimilars in the first place.”
Dr. Gottlieb put it to health plans succinctly: “Payors are going to have to decide what they want: The short-term profit goose that comes with the rebates, or in the long run, a system that functions better for patients, providers, and those who pay for care…Do they want to continue to benefit from monopoly rents today, or help generate a vibrant biosimilar market that can help reset biologic pricing—and drug pricing more generally— through competition.”
He suggested that payers help increase biosimilar uptake by lowering or waiving copays for biosimilars or removing prior authorization requirements when biosimilars can be prescribed. “FDA has a strong interest in seeing the biosimilar market grow,” he reiterated, “but some of that is going to be up to the choices you all make.”
