LAKE FOREST, Illinois,
Aug. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP) applauds the UK's National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for developing
and issuing a new adoption resource to further support the
introduction of biosimilar infliximab, including Hospira's
Inflectra™, allowing patients greater access to these expensive
treatments and greater choice for physicians.
The recently published adoption resource entitled,
"Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab: Inflectra and
Remsima," provides practical advice on how to effectively
introduce biosimilars into clinical practice, as well as a process
to implement a well-managed and safe switching program from
reference biologics to biosimilars. Through case studies, the
resource highlights how biosimilars can help lead to a more
sustainable healthcare system and can help improve patient access
to high cost biologic medicines.
This new resource underlines the opportunities for cost-savings
and re-investment, stating that "the use of biosimilars can reduce
costs, allowing more treatment with new medicines as long as the
appropriate follow-up and monitoring systems are in place to manage
risk and patient needs and expectations."1 According to
NICE, "Biosimilars have the potential to offer the NHS considerable
cost savings, especially as biological medicines are often
expensive and are often used to treat long-term
conditions."2
This reinvestment offers a new basis for sustainable healthcare
through "close collaboration and trust between clinicians, hospital
management and CCGs, with all parties being appropriately
incentivised to deliver high quality patient care and cost
savings."3
Since launching the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb),
Inflectra in the UK in February 2015,
Hospira has continued to work with payers and clinicians in
supporting the introduction of Inflectra into their care pathways
safely and effectively.
"Inflectra continues to provide an alternative, potentially more
affordable treatment option for people suffering from severe,
debilitating diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory
bowel disease while maintaining comparable quality, efficacy and
safety to the reference product," said Paul
Greenland, vice president, Biologics, Hospira.
Hospira is the only U.S.-based company currently marketing
biosimilars in the highly regulated markets of Europe and Australia, where we have seen biosimilars help
to decrease the costs of biologics by 20 to 30 percent. This has
allowed European healthcare systems to reduce their healthcare
spending, while at the same time increasing patient access to these
important biologic medicines.
About Hospira
Hospira, Inc. is the world's leading provider of injectable
drugs and infusion technologies, and a global leader in
biosimilars. Through its broad, integrated portfolio, Hospira is
uniquely positioned to Advance Wellness™ by improving patient and
caregiver safety while reducing healthcare costs. The company is
headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill.
Learn more at www.hospira.com. For more information
about biosimilars, please visit www.biosimilarfacts.com.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995 --
A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking
statements generally relate to future events or Hospira's future
financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify
forward-looking statements because they contain words such as
"may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates,"
"could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates,"
"believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or
the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions
that concern Hospira's expectations, strategy, plans or intentions.
Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are
not limited to Hospira's expectations regarding regulatory
approvals, clinical trials and the actions of competitors.
Hospira's expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not
materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected. Actual results may differ
materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements
as a result of various important factors, including, without
limitation, challenges inherent in creating and developing
compounds and product candidates and economic, competitive,
governmental, regulatory, legal, supply and other factors.
Information on these and additional risks affecting Hospira's
business and operating results are more fully discussed in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in its most recently filed annual
report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly report on
Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this press release are
based on information available as of the date hereof, and Hospira
disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements,
except as required by law.
1 Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab:
Inflectra and Remsima
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329
2 Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab:
Inflectra and Remsima; Chapter 2 Background on biosimilar
medicines
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329/chapter/2-Background-on-biosimilar-medicines
3 Insights from the NHS: managing the introduction of
biosimilar medicines - University Hospital Southampton NHS
Foundation Trust
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329/chapter/4-Insights-from-the-NHS-managing-the-introduction-of-biosimilar-medicines