Biologics: Targets & Therapy (Jan 2020)
Biosimilars to Antitumor Necrosis Factor Agents in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Abstract
Eman Al Sulais, 1 Turki AlAmeel 2 1Department of Medicine, Royal Commission Hospital, Jubail, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medicine, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Eman Al SulaisDepartment of Medicine, Royal Commission Hospital, P.O. Box 496, Jubail, Qatif 31911, Saudi ArabiaEmail [email protected]: Anti- tumor Necrosis Factor (anti-TNF) agents are the backbone treatment of moderate to severe cases of inflammatory bowel disease. One of the main drawbacks of these agents is the high cost. The introduction of biosimilar products to anti-TNF agents is expected to lower the cost. Health care providers ought to be aware of the available data that addresses the safety and efficacy of biosimilars in IBD patients. This article outlines the current evidence-based data regarding the available biosimilar products, their safety, efficacy and how to deal with patients’ concerns.Keywords: biosimilars, inflammatory bowel disease, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors