The evolving landscape of biological medicine development presents both opportunities and challenges for pharmaceutical companies pursuing biosimilars and biobetters. Industry expert Dr. Conrad Savoy, former President and CEO of Biopartners, shares critical insights into the strategic considerations and regulatory pathways for these products.
Distinguishing Biosimilars from Biobetters
Biosimilars represent a well-defined regulatory category requiring demonstration of close similarity to reference products across quality, non-clinical, and clinical parameters. In contrast, biobetters are strategically differentiated products designed to deliver specific improvements over originator biologics.
"A biobetter may relate to a modified molecule of the active ingredient, or a modified formulation or an improved delivery system. Also the tolerability or the safety profile of a biobetter could be improved over that of the originator product," explains Dr. Savoy.
Strategic Advantages of Biobetter Development
While biobetter development involves higher costs than biosimilars, it offers several strategic advantages. The potential for intellectual property protection and premium pricing provides a more sustainable business model. Unlike biosimilars, which must match their reference products exactly, biobetters can evolve beyond the original molecule's limitations.
"In the case of a biobetter the value proposition is more likely to stay competitive, even in the case of an active and continuous lifecycle management of the originator product," notes Dr. Savoy. This advantage becomes particularly relevant as originators continue developing next-generation products.
Navigating Regulatory Challenges
The regulatory pathway for biobetters follows guidelines similar to novel drug development, though with some unique considerations. Dr. Savoy emphasizes the importance of early strategic planning: "The first and most important step is really to define your product and its target profile carefully. What you want to avoid upfront is to have an ambiguous situation and run a development, which eventually will end up on a different track."
Market Considerations and Evidence Requirements
Success in the market requires convincing evidence of improved value proposition. Payers and prescribers expect comprehensive comparative data against established standards of care. For biobetters, this often means conducting head-to-head trials against reference products to demonstrate superior outcomes.
Development Process and Risk Management
The development process for both biosimilars and biobetters demands careful risk assessment and management. While biobetters face higher development costs than biosimilars, they benefit from established knowledge about the base molecule's pharmacological action and biological targets.
"The overall risk is lower when compared with the development and registration of a product containing a new molecule," Dr. Savoy points out. "For biobetters the principle molecule, its pharmacologic action, and its biological targets are well known to regulators, and established in the medical community."
