Key Takeaways

  • Biosimilars have generated approximately €75 billion in savings in Europe and enabled billions of treatment days, but they still represent only a small share of overall biologics spending

  • In ophthalmology, wider adoption of biosimilars—particularly for anti-VEGF therapies used to treat retinal diseases—could help reduce treatment costs and improve patient access as demand for vision care continues to grow

  • Barriers such as physician hesitancy, policy variability, and procurement complexity continue to limit biosimilar uptake

A new report from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science suggests that biosimilars remain significantly underutilized in Europe despite their ability to reduce healthcare spending and expand patient access to advanced therapies. The report, "Unlocking Biosimilar Potential 2026," examines the current state of biosimilar adoption and identifies structural barriers that continue to limit their broader use across healthcare systems.

Since their introduction, biosimilars have generated approximately €75 billion in cumulative list-price savings in Europe and enabled more than 7 billion treatment days. Despite these gains, biosimilars accounted for only about 5% of biologics spending in 2024, suggesting substantial room for further adoption.

The IQVIA analysis highlights ophthalmology as one of the therapeutic areas where biosimilars could have significant impact. Demand for retinal disease treatment is rising rapidly due to aging populations and the growing prevalence of conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

These diseases often require repeated intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF biologics to prevent vision loss. However, healthcare systems across Europe face capacity constraints—including clinician shortages, rising patient demand, and limited clinic infrastructure—that can delay treatment. According to the report, delays or interruptions in anti-VEGF therapy may lead to irreversible deterioration in visual outcomes, making timely access to treatment essential. Wider biosimilar adoption could reduce drug costs and potentially ease capacity pressures by enabling more patients to receive therapy.

Barriers to Wider Adoption

Despite strong economic and clinical potential, the report notes that biosimilars continue to face adoption challenges across many markets. Key barriers include:

  • Provider hesitancy and knowledge gaps about biosimilar use

  • Complex reimbursement and procurement systems

  • Formulary and policy differences across healthcare systems

  • Limited patient awareness of biosimilar options

Physician confidence and experience with biosimilars remain key drivers of adoption, underscoring the need for continued education and real-world evidence demonstrating comparable safety and efficacy.

The biosimilars market is expected to expand rapidly as more biologic drugs lose patent protection. Industry analyses estimate the global biosimilars market will grow from about $49 billion in 2026 to more than $112 billion by 2031, reflecting increasing demand for cost-effective biologic treatments. At the same time, broader use of biosimilars could generate substantial savings for healthcare systems worldwide. IQVIA estimates annual global savings from biosimilars could exceed $100 billion by 2026, driven by competition with high-cost biologic therapies.

The report concludes that realizing the full potential of biosimilars will require coordinated action across regulators, healthcare providers, payers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Strategies such as improved education for clinicians, streamlined procurement processes, and clearer policy frameworks could accelerate adoption.