Cheaper therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis now available in UK

An affordable new anti-TNF therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been launched in the UK. The new therapy – Remsima – can also be used for ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis.
It works in the same way as infliximab (Remicade), a widely-used anti-TNF therapy. The patent for the original product has expired, opening the door for cheaper versions of the therapy. Remsima is extremely similar to the existing biologic medicine and trials involving 850 people in 20 countries show it performs just as well.
Infliximab is extremely expensive (NHS England spent £164 million on it in 2013) and it is thought that Remsima will save over 30%.
“The launch of biosimilar infliximab is exciting news for patients, healthcare professionals and the NHS,” explains Dr Anthony Grosso, principal hospital pharmacist from the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust. “Biosimilar medicines offer a unique opportunity to deliver high-quality patient care in a more cost-effective way.”

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