An Israeli study found similar immune responses to the brand name and biosimilar infliximab among patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
“The study [of 86 patients] found that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who produce antibodies to infliximab when treated with Janssen’s Remicade also cross-react with Celltrion’s biosimilar, Remsima. One author of the study, Dr. Shomron Ben-Horin from Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University in Ramat-Gan, Israel, said: “The cross-reactivity of anti-Remicade antibodies with Remsima attests to shared immune triggering points (epitopes) on these two agents, and may therefore provide a further level of evidence to reassure physicians about the similarity between this particular biosimilar and the originator infliximab.”
It is important to note that although this reaction indicates similarity “there had been no direct studies to investigate cross-immunogenicity of the two compounds in IBD patients.” The two drugs seems to be similarly recognized by the immune system of IBD patients, but the company and all other regulating bodies are still responsible to constantly monitor the safety of biosimilars as they appear on the market.
