Abstract
The advent of biotechnology and genetic engineering at the close of the last millennium marked a significant advancement in the treatment of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, particularly when conventional disease-modifying drug therapy (csDMARD) had proven ineffective. The introduction of biological therapies (bDMARDs) has improved patient prognosis and quality of life, yet it has also resulted in an economic burden due to the persistently high cost of these treatments globally.
The growing demand for bDMARDs and their associated costs have facilitated the emergence of biosimilars (bsDMARDs) following the expiration of the original bDMARDs patents. Given their complex protein structure, bsDMARDs should not be considered as traditional generics but rather as highly similar replicas of the original bDMARDs.
Efficacy, safety, and biosimilarity to the original bDMARD must be demonstrated through clinical monitoring before bsDMARDs can be incorporated into clinical practice. The introduction of more affordable bsDMARDs is expected to expand treatment accessibility and sustainability worldwide.
The approval of the first bsDMARD, CT-P13 (biosimilar infliximab), was a pivotal event, paving the way for the development of additional bsDMARDs. This article focuses on selected bsDMARDs currently used in the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the Czech Republic.