Biosimilars and reference biological medicines in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter cross-sectional study in Catalonia, Spain


Por: Marin, JM, Molina-Olano, M, Sola, NR, Miserachs-Aranda, N, Alcón, PM, De Pourcq, JT, Ribas, CQ, Trias, LB, Fernández-Cañabate, E, González-Valdivieso, J, Figueiredo-Escribá, C, Delgado-Hernández, R, Braza, AJ, Lastra, CF, Mariño, EL, Modamio, P

Publicada: 1 sep 2025 Ahead of Print: 1 jul 2025
Resumen:
ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of reference biologic medicines used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) specifically adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab, with corresponding biosimilar medicines, based on an exploratory analysis of clinical data obtained in patients treated with these medicines in five hospitals in the region of Catalonia, Spain.MethodsThere is a consultation of the database of the Registry of Patients and Treatments of the Catalan Health Service: extraction of data from adult patients diagnosed with moderate and severe active RA and with active prescription of at least one biological drug (reference or biosimilar) or JAK inhibitor. To compare the effectiveness of each reference biologic with its biosimilar, differences in mean DAS28-ESR values before and after treatment were assessed for adalimumab and its biosimilar, etanercept and its biosimilar, and infliximab and its biosimilar.ResultsThe study consisted of 643 patients. The most dispensed medicines were anti-TNFs, with 303 patients on treatment. Thirty-six percent of all patients were using biosimilars. No statistically significant differences were observed in any of the three comparisons between the reference biologic medicine and its biosimilar. These findings suggest that biosimilars have comparable effectiveness to reference biologics in reducing DAS28-ESR; in addition, they can provide substantial savings to public health systems.ConclusionsA significant number of patients diagnosed with moderate to severe active RA were treated with biological medicines and receiving the available biosimilar treatments. Future research should be conducted to confirm comparable effectiveness found to their reference biologic medicines in this exploratory analysis. Key Points center dot Biosimilar use: 36% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Catalonia are treated with biosimilars, exceeding the 12% recommendation. This reflects growing acceptance of these alternatives.center dot Comparative effectiveness: Biosimilars of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab showed comparable therapeutic benefit to their reference biologics in reducing disease activity in active rheumatoid arthritis.center dot Real-world data: The study provides real-world data from five hospitals, making biosimilar medicines a viable choice for rheumatologists in routine rheumatoid arthritis management.

Filiaciones:
Marin, JM:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Molina-Olano, M:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Sola, NR:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Gen Granollers, Pharm Serv, Ave Francesc Ribas S-N, Barcelona 08402, Spain

Miserachs-Aranda, N:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Fundacio Hosp Esperit St, Pharm Serv, Ave Mossen Pons & Rabada S-N, Barcelona 08923, Spain

Alcón, PM:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Univ Sagrat Cor, Pharm Serv, C Viladomat 288, Barcelona 08029, Spain

De Pourcq, JT:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Santa Creu & Sant Pau, Pharm Serv, C St Antoni M Claret 167, Barcelona 08025, Spain

Ribas, CQ:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Badalona Germans Trias & Pujol, Pharm Serv, Carretera Canyet S-N, Badalona 08916, Barcelona, Spain

Trias, LB:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Gen Granollers, Pharm Serv, Ave Francesc Ribas S-N, Barcelona 08402, Spain

Fernández-Cañabate, E:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Fundacio Hosp Esperit St, Pharm Serv, Ave Mossen Pons & Rabada S-N, Barcelona 08923, Spain

González-Valdivieso, J:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

 Hosp Univ Sagrat Cor, Pharm Serv, C Viladomat 288, Barcelona 08029, Spain

Figueiredo-Escribá, C:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Delgado-Hernández, R:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Braza, AJ:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Lastra, CF:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Mariño, EL:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain

Modamio, P:
 Univ Barcelona, Fac Pharm & Food Sci, Dept Pharm & Pharmaceut Technol & Phys Chem, Clin Pharm & Pharmaceut Care Unit, Ave Joan XXIII, 27-31, Barcelona 08028, Spain
ISSN: 07703198





CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
Editorial
SPRINGER LONDON LTD, 236 GRAYS INN RD, 6TH FLOOR, LONDON WC1X 8HL, ENGLAND, Reino Unido
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 44 Número: 9
Páginas: 3445-3458
WOS Id: 001534713200001
ID de PubMed: 40707848
imagen Green Submitted, hybrid

MÉTRICAS