Tell me about Remicade and biosimilars

I understand a little about brand names, generics and biosimilars and how they are supposed to be the same in terms of effect.
I started with Infleximab and the last few infusions the pump reads Renflexsis. The infusion center claims they are the same and the local doctor says the whole world is going to biosimilars. So then why does the IBD specialist tell me that members of the Remicade family are not interchangeable? The specialist advice is that once started stay on the original formulation. It's a little late for that.
Whatever I have been getting has been helping a lot, for a few months. Mild symptoms have been stable over time. Long term is still wait and see. Anyone else had mix and match?

Did the infusion center change that on their own? If you are in the U.S. that sounds illegal. Your insurance and doctor would have authorized infliximab and the infusion center can't just change what they give you. How are they billing insurance?

I'm glad there are no stupid questions on this forum! Don't check my spelling either.
If Infliximab is the active ingredient in Remicade and biosimilars like Renflexis were approved separately then how can they be the same?
I'm not complaining or thinking I have been harmed, just trying to understand. I'll ask the specialist tomorrow since she is the one who made the comment about not changing.
I never received a drug labeled "Remicade", just Infliximab and then Renflexis.

Remicade, Renflexis, Inflectra, Remsima etc are ALL infliximab. However none of them are identical because of the way biologics are manufactured -they are complex molecules- it is impossible to make an exact replica of the original formulation which was Remicade.

In theory they all work the same way, but that does not necessarily mean you will respond in the same way, because of the minor differences. At my hospital they tried switching everyone first from remicade to remsima and then later to inflectra, for financial reasons. I think most patients were fine but i met one girl who said Remsima gave her joint pain so they put her back on Remicade. Her UC was stable throughout.

So my question to you is did they switch you from Remicade (or another biosimilar) to Renflexis or were you on Renflexis the whole time? As CC said, if they switched you I'm not sure they're allowed to do that without notification first.

naturalcurl said...
The specialist agrees that infliximab to Renflexis was a switch. She states that her center would not approve the change except if the patient could not otherwise receive treatment due to insurance. Now I should stay with Renflexis and can't go back to infliximab.
Note that a local GI generalist, not the IBD specialist, is driving the infusions and may very well have approved any changes.
They could both be confused. I am, but this is just an interesting mental exercise at this point. All I can do is read labels while I'm being infused and get curious.

Renflexis IS infliximab. You are still on infliximab.

Renflexis is the brand/biosimilar name. Infliximab is the type of monoclonal antibody.

I am guessing they switched which kind of biosimilar you were taking (was it originally remicade?) Can you enquire with your insurance which form of infliximab you received originally versus now and why they changed you?

Post Edited (poopydoop) : 5/7/2022 2:07:06 AM (GMT-6)

Clo, at every one of my infusions before they hook me up they confirm my first and last name and the type of drug I’m getting. They also write Inflectra on the IV bag. Does your infusion center not do this?