Study: Production of Biosimilars

Biopharmaceutical drugs are playing an increasingly important role in healthcare – almost one-third of the German pharmaceutical market consists of biopharmaceuticals, including insulin, COVID-19 vaccines, and novel immunotherapies for cancer. Biosimilars, follow-up products to biopharmaceutical drugs with expired patent protection, are becoming increasingly popular. They are often cheaper than the original products and contribute to the financial sustainability of healthcare provision.

Together with Dr. Jasmina Kirchhoff from the IW Köln, we, the Healthcare Supply Chain Institute, have examined the production structures of biosimilars and the resilience of the corresponding supply chains for the German biosimilar association Pro Generika e.V.

While two-thirds of generic active ingredients are now produced in Asia, primarily in China and India, the study shows that the situation is different in biosimilar production: Over 50 percent of the biosimilar active ingredients intended for the European market are produced in Europe, with 30 percent of them in Germany. However, the share of Asia, particularly China, in biosimilar production is growing.

The study is available online: Link to the study