Medicines for Europe welcomes 5th European Commission Stakeholder event on biosimilar medicines products organised today by the Directorate General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).

 

The event will discuss the competitive forces driving the European biologics market, how to ensure the sustainability of biosimilar medicines development and manufacturing and how to improve early access* to biosimilar medicines. The event provides an important platform for healthcare stakeholders to shape the future landscape and release the untapped benefits of biosimilar medicines competition. The latest launches of biosimilar medicines have demonstrated that markets are maturing, and that the uptake of biosimilar medicines is increasingly rapid.

 

The EU is the global leader in the biosimilar medicines space, with over 13 years of patient experience. The learnings are clear: biosimilar medicines deliver access and healthier communities when all actors engage, a long-term vision and ambition is set, there is active preparation, introduction and monitoring. EU countries with successful biosimilar medicines use have proactive policies to improve access to medicines, are actively learning from experience, and are adjusting policies to best fit the situation.

 

“We are committed to continuously bringing earlier*, broader and sustainable access to biologics through biosimilar medicines. To deliver on our mission of advancing patient access, all stakeholders must commit to working together and sharing experiences on how to remove obstacles – only then will we succeed.” commented Isabell Remus, Chair of the Biosimilar Medicines Group.

 

*where clinically appropriate

 

The Biosimilar Medicines Group is a sector group of Medicines for Europe representing the leading companies developing, manufacturing and/or marketing biosimilar medicines across Europe. With more than 10 years of positive patient treatment experience and 20 products successfully launched, biosimilar medicines provide today a huge opportunity to deliver significantly improved access to modern therapies for millions of European patients in both chronic and acute care. Our members bring competition to the biological medicines market, thereby increasing access to highly innovative treatments to patients, in Europe and around the world, and supporting the sustainability of the European healthcare systems.

 

 

Medicines for Europe represents the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries across Europe. Its vision is to provide sustainable access to high quality medicines, based on 5 important pillars: patients, quality, value, sustainability and partnership. Its members directly employ 190,000 people at over 400 manufacturing and 126 R&D sites in Europe, and invest up to 17% of their turnover in R&D investment. Medicines for Europe member companies across Europe are both increasing access to medicines and driving improved health outcomes. They play a key role in creating sustainable European healthcare systems by continuing to provide high quality, effective generic medicines, whilst also innovating to create new biosimilar medicines and bringing to market value added medicines, which deliver better health outcomes, greater efficiency and/or improved safety in the hospital setting for patients. For more information please follow us at www.medicinesforeurope.com and on Twitter @medicinesforEU.