GPhA, generic drug companies release letter regarding biosimilars bill

ARLINGTON, Va. An amendment to a health reform bill currently under consideration would preclude the development of a significant biosimilars industry, nearly 30 generic drug companies told three members of the House in a letter released Wednesday.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association released the letter — written to Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Nathan Deal, R-Ga. — signed by 27 generic drug makers criticizing the amendment to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s health reform bill by Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Joe Barton, R-Texas, that would allow 12 years of market exclusivity for biotech drugs before they faced biosimilar competition.

“While safeguarding market protections and intellectual property rights is critical in the pharmaceutical sector, only a healthcare system that balances the interests of innovation and access to lower cost medicine will achieve the greatest success,” the companies wrote in the letter.

Signatories to the letter included generics companies such as Teva, Ranbaxy and Mylan, as well as Paddock Labs, Sovereign Pharmaceuticals and Spear Pharmaceuticals.