Per BioCentury, USP endorses INN suffix for biologics
The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) endorsed a draft World Health Organization (WHO) proposal to create a unique suffix for biologic drugs, including biosimilars.
A WHO working group proposed a voluntary scheme to create unique identification codes, called "biological qualifiers," that would be distinct from international non-proprietary names (INN). The BQs would be random four-letter codes that would be linked in a WHO-maintained database to the product's INN, trade name, name and address of the manufacturer, and regulatory status. According to the WHO, the scheme could facilitate decision making about substitution and interchangeability and help regulators and physicians track patients' responses to products with the same INN.
In comments submitted to WHO, USP suggested that the BQ system be applied to all biologics, not just biosimilars. BQ codes could be assigned retrospectively.
The endorsement comes as FDA is finalizing its biosimilars naming policy in anticipation of regulatory decisions on at least two pending biosimilar applications. Sandoz, a unit of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN), has submitted an application for a biosimilar version of Amgen's Neupogen filgrastim and biosimilar version of Remicade infliximab, a mAb marketed by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK)
The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) endorsed a draft World Health Organization (WHO) proposal to create a unique suffix for biologic drugs, including biosimilars.
A WHO working group proposed a voluntary scheme to create unique identification codes, called "biological qualifiers," that would be distinct from international non-proprietary names (INN). The BQs would be random four-letter codes that would be linked in a WHO-maintained database to the product's INN, trade name, name and address of the manufacturer, and regulatory status. According to the WHO, the scheme could facilitate decision making about substitution and interchangeability and help regulators and physicians track patients' responses to products with the same INN.
In comments submitted to WHO, USP suggested that the BQ system be applied to all biologics, not just biosimilars. BQ codes could be assigned retrospectively.
The endorsement comes as FDA is finalizing its biosimilars naming policy in anticipation of regulatory decisions on at least two pending biosimilar applications. Sandoz, a unit of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN), has submitted an application for a biosimilar version of Amgen's Neupogen filgrastim and biosimilar version of Remicade infliximab, a mAb marketed by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK)
