Bydureon Approval Provides Lesson In Clinical Data Requirements For Biosimilars

Changes in the manufacturing site and production scale for exenatide extended-release complicated FDA’s review of Bydureon, Amylin’s follow-on agent to Byetta, and late-rising questions about the drug’s QT effects made FDA revisit its earlier conclusion that the investigational and commercial formulations were comparable. The agency’s decision to require additional clinical data in a second “complete response” letter suggests biosimilar sponsors will face a similarly high clinical hurdle.