Mundipharma releases 2-year Remsima efficacy data
The data show that Remsima (infliximab), which is biosimilar version of Janssen’s RA drug Remicade, continues to be effective and well tolerated by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have have been treated with it for two year.
Mundipharma distributes Remsima in Germany, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg under an agreement with South Korean developer Celltrion.
A spokeswoman for Mundipharma told us: “these are long term data from the pivotal phase III PLANETRA study over 102 weeks demonstrating the clinical efficacy and safety profile of biosimilar infliximab in RA patients.”
The announcement is one of several made to emphasise Remsima’s efficacy, safety and cost saving potential after the biosimilar was launched in Europe last year.
The time, the idea is to “inform the healthcare community of the emerging long term data” and provide “reassurance that efficacy is maintained in the longer term” the spokeswoman said.
Market share
Data from IMS’ Hospital pharmacy audit index (HPAI) for February indicate that, less than a year after launch, biosimilar infliximab has share of 29.8% of the total UK infliximab market.
How much of this is held by Remsima – which is distributed in the UK by Mudipharma affiliate Napp Pharmaceuticals – and how much is held by Inflectra, which is the same Celltrion product but sold under license by Pfizer-owned Hospira, is unclear.
The Mundipharma spokeswoman said: “We do not have prescription-level data for the UK."
