18 July 2019
Canberra, ACT
A commitment to drive the uptake of biosimilar medicines in Australia has seen Korean biopharmaceutical company, Celltrion Healthcare, join Australia’s peak body representing generic and biosimilar manufacturers, the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA).
GBMA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Marnie Peterson, welcomed Celltrion Healthcare as the first member to join the Association’s new ‘Biosimilar Membership’.
“This is further evidence of the role that biosimilar medicines can play in ensuring a sustainable healthcare system for Australian patients, particularly for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS),” Ms Peterson said.
“Biosimilars provide a real opportunity to help manage the growing costs of new medicines such as biologics.”
“Similar to the opportunity generic medicines provide, there is an enormous potential for biosimilars to significantly reduce the pressure on the PBS while increasing patient access to safe, affordable and life changing medicines,” she said.
Mr Hyoung-Ki Kim, Vice Chairman & CEO at Celltrion Healthcare looks forward to the new partnership with GBMA.
“With the recent establishment of Celltrion Healthcare Australia Pty Ltd. in Sydney, we are excited to be a member of the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA).”
“At Celltrion Healthcare, our aim is to provide the best possible treatment options for patients and healthcare providers, and by connecting with the GBMA, we look forward to engaging positively to support the uptake of biosimilar medicines in Australia as a way to alleviate pressure on its national health system.”, Mr Kim said.
The GBMA’s Biosimilar Membership looks to support the varying nature of manufacturing portfolios currently seen in market, which highlights the need for a dedicated membership structure for biosimilar manufacturers without a generic portfolio.
“The addition of our newest member underscores the evolution of GBMA’s role within the Australian healthcare framework and we welcome Celltrion Healthcare to the GBMA, joining us on the biosimilar journey in Australia.”, said Ms Peterson.
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ABOUT GBMA
The GBMA is the national association representing companies that manufacture, supply and export generic and biosimilar medicines. GBMA represents all major generic medicine suppliers in Australia, accounting for more than 90% of all generic medicines dispensed in Australia. Members of GBMA ensure all Australians are offered high quality generic and biosimilar medicines, which provide affordable health outcomes that benefit all Australians. Members of GBMA take seriously their role in the responsible provision of affordable medicines in Australia, as stipulated in the National Medicines Policy. The generic and biosimilar medicines sector is a high value-add sector delivering significant health and economic benefits to the Australian public. The availability of generic medicines in this country helps to deliver:
– Timely access to affordable medicines;
– Substantial savings to the PBS;
– Thousands of highly skilled jobs; and
– Domestic manufacturing and annual exports of around $300 million.
For more information, please contact the GBMA – admin@gbma.com.au or visit www.gbma.com.au
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