Biosimilars are a relatively new class of drugs designed to be nearly identical to existing (“original”) biologic therapies—the equivalent of generics for traditional drugs. Patients, payers, and policy makers have long anticipated their widespread market penetration due to their cost-saving potential. However, their penetration rate has been disappointingly slow. We present evidence that manufacturers leverage their broader commercial relationships with clinics to influence biosimilar penetration. For manufacturers of the original biologic product, this behavior entails a pull effect that hinders biosimilar penetration. For biosimilar manufacturers, a push effect that promotes it. Our results portray these as highly influential effects. One implication is that biosimilars commercialized firms with strong pre-existing relationships with clinics may penetrate the market significantly faster. Our findings also reframe the regulatory debate around the use of exclusionary contracts that restrict the use of biosimilars, shifting the focus away from the use of these practices to the economic fundamentals that make these practices acceptable for clinics. (Manuel Hermosilla, Joseph Levy & Kelly Anderson)
Contact person: Elisabeth Hofmeister
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