Patent Thickets Constrain US Biosimilars Market

Patent Thickets Constrain US Biosimilars Market

Biosimilars represent a significant cost-savings opportunity in the United States because they can introduce competition for some of the most expensive and widely used prescription drugs on the market: originator biologics. Several market and regulatory barriers have slowed biosimilar market entry and uptake in the United States.

MGA Report Featured by The Center for Biosimilars

MGA Report Featured by The Center for Biosimilars

On Thursday, The Center for Biosimilars, a sister site of The American Journal of Managed Care, published an article discussing the differences between the patent systems in the United States and Europe when it comes to biosimilars. The article featured the latest report released by MGA, and authored by Alex Brill and Christy Robinson, titled “How Patent Thickets Constrain the US Biosimilars Market and Domestic Manufacturing”:

New White Paper Identifies Patent Thickets as Barrier to US Biosimilars Market and Domestic Manufacturing

New White Paper Identifies Patent Thickets as Barrier to US Biosimilars Market and Domestic Manufacturing

“How Patent Thickets Constrain the US Biosimilars Market and Domestic Manufacturing,” authored by Alex Brill and Christy Robinson, explains how reference biologic manufacturers create thickets of overlapping, weaker follow-on patents to keep competitors from entering the market. The paper highlights how originators have strong incentives to protect their profit streams and have found patent thickets to be an easy way to significantly extend the duration of monopolies in the US, preventing access to more affordable medicines for patients.