Current Trends in Biosimilars and the Impact on Auto-Injector Development

Pre-filled syringes and injection devices are increasingly used for the administration of injectable drugs in a home setting, saving the patients a visit to a doctor or nurse to get their dose of medication. The new, innovative treatments are generally very expensive which has somewhat limited the use of these new therapies and devices to select markets.

The introduction of biosimilars, which are the equivalent of generic small-molecule drugs, has the potential of making these drugs and therapies available to new markets and wider shares of the population in existing markets. This study looks at the biosimilars approved to date, and in particular, those supplied in a pre-filled syringe or autoinjector in order to draw conclusions about the availability of biosimilars in these relatively costly presentations, what therapy areas appear to favor autoinjectors, and how device-equipped products seem to fare in the market.