Off-patent biologics are a large market for ‘follow-on’ biologics. Biobetters, in particular, are novel innovations designed to be therapeutically more efficient and safer. They present a new market territory and have witnessed growing interest among drug manufacturers in recent years.

The marketing term ‘biobetter’ was coined in a Mumbai bio-conference in 2007 by Mr. GV Prasa, an Indian business executive, and has been markedly used ever since. Biobetters are novel highly-differentiated entities with strong bio-superiority over existing approved biologics. They are the result of cutting-edge research and novel chemical/molecular modifications (e.g. PEGylation/residue substitutions), and boast enhanced therapeutic benefits, such as improved potency and selectivity, increased bioavailability, longer half-life, and better safety.