Biosimilar filgrastim in autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and post-transplant hematologic recovery

To date, two kinds of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors (G-CSF) have been approved for autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell (PBSCs) mobilization and posttransplant hematologic recovery after high-dose chemotherapy: filgrastim (originator and biosimilar) and lenograstim. Biosimilar filgrastim has been approved on the basis of comparable efficacy and safety in clinical studies where it has been used as chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia prophylaxis, but no specific pre-registration studies have been published in the transplant setting. Hence, there is still general skepticism about the role of biosimilar G-CSFs in this setting of patients. This review of biochemical, pre-clinical and clinical data suggests significant comparability of biosimilar filgrastim with both originator filgrastim and lenograstim in autologous PBSCs mobilization and post-autograft hematologic recovery.