biosimilar

American  

[bahy-oh-sim-uh-ler] / ˌbaɪ oʊˈsɪm ə lər /

noun

1. a biopharmaceutical that is very similar, but not identical, to a previously manufactured one.

   Do the biosimilars require fewer clinical trials?

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adjective

1. of or relating to biopharmaceuticals that closely resemble previously manufactured ones.

   biosimilar products; biosimilar medicine.

Etymology

Origin of biosimilar

First recorded in 2000–05; bio(pharmaceutical) ( def. ) + similar ( def. )

Example Sentences

The South Korean biosimilar company’s operating profit could jump 42% to 1.657 trillion won, with revenue up 26%, this year, the DB analyst writes in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Revenue for Biogen’s rare disease treatments sank 16%, while biosimilar revenue fell 4%.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

Related to that, we are going to have the mother of all generic and biosimilar drug cycles from 2026 to 2036.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

The IBK analyst now values Samsung Biologics, which has recently spun off its biosimilar unit as a separate company, at KRW96.6 trillion, 71% higher than its currently estimated market valuation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

The Food and Drug Administration approval in 2021 of two biosimilar insulins prompted manufacturers Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk to slash prices and offer bigger patient discounts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025