Similar biological medicinal products currently licensed in the European union--overview of non-clinical study programs

Abstract

In the EU, a regulatory framework has been established which defines general conditions for marketing authorisation approval of similar biological medicinal products (SBMPs). In addition, the framework provides product-class specific recommendations for non-clinical evaluation of specific SBMPs containing as active substance recombinant somatropin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), erythropoietin, interferon alpha, insulin or low molecular weight heparins. During the last years, a number of SBMPs have been succesfully licensed in the EU. This article summarizes the non-clinical evaluations performed for these medicinal products and provides a comparison with the current requests for non-clinical evaluation as laid down in the respective EU regulatory guidelines.