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“They told me I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I almost didn’t believe I had blood cancer. And from the first moment, you realize — this is serious.” 

Those are the words of Pablo Trochez, of Bogota, Colombia, recalling the moment he found out he had cancer.

It is, unfortunately, a moment experienced by about 20 million people every single year around the world — a number expected to rise to more than 35 million by 2050.¹ The majority of new cancer diagnoses are in emerging-market countries, which account for 57% of new patients with cancer and 65% of deaths.²

Behind those numbers are millions of individuals like Pablo and his family, who just want life to return to normal.

“From the moment you are diagnosed with cancer, everything becomes more real,” he says. “And that absolutely changes your whole perspective on life.”

The good news is that modern cancer medications called biologics have revolutionized the treatment of many types of cancer. In the past, these advanced medicines were largely unavailable in emerging countries, but the use of biosimilars, which emerged 20 years ago, has accelerated in recent years, enabling greater access and kickstarting a new era in cancer care.

Helping more people benefit from biologics

Biologics are highly advanced treatments developed through biotechnology, utilizing living organisms such as bacteria or animal cells. These treatments harness the body's immune system to target cancer directly.

Unlike chemotherapy, which kills healthy cells as well as cancer cells, biologics specifically target cancer cell growth, often leaving healthy cells unharmed.

While traditional treatments like chemotherapy still play a vital role, biologics have proven to be an effective, personalized option for treating several types of cancer. 

However, because biologics are complex to develop and manufacture, they can be less affordable for people and healthcare systems in emerging countries. In 2020, new medicines such as biologics accounted for 2%-3% of the total volume in developed markets, yet only 0.1% were launched and made available in emerging markets.³

Biosimilars open up a new era in cancer care

For people with cancer like Trochez, access to biologics can make all the difference.

“When they told him he had to start chemotherapy, everything started to change,” his wife, Marta, says. “Plans could no longer be made for the future.”

At that point, his doctor prescribed him a biosimilar medicine. Biosimilars are high-quality biologics that are highly similar to already-approved biologic medicines — with no meaningful difference in terms of quality, safety or efficacy.

Biosimilars provide an additional treatment option, making advanced biologic treatments more affordable and accessible, and improving access to innovative therapies. It is estimated that biosimilars have generated more than about $64 billion in savings for European healthcare systems alone since 2006,⁴ enabling them to do more with less. Now the benefits of biosimilars are being realized in other parts of the world, including Latin America.

The impact for Pablo Trochez and his family has been transformative. Having responded extremely well to the biosimilar medicine, his cancer is now under control, and his future is now something he can look forward to with excitement.

“I am thankful that in the morning I can get up, go jogging in the park or ride a bike.” Trochez says. “My message for the first phase of the diagnosis is, ‘Have faith and rely on your family.’ You can’t imagine how far the family is willing to go to support you. I am eternally grateful to my family and especially my wife.”

“The hope is that more people like Pablo will start to benefit from biosimilars,” says Matthias Mueller, Head of Innovation and Development in ��«����Ƶ’s medicines business. “As healthcare professionals and patients become more aware of and knowledgeable about these new therapies, and as more standardized regulatory frameworks are implemented to help with adoption, biosimilars are becoming more widely accessible in emerging countries.”

Ultimately, by expanding access to advanced treatments, biosimilars are driving a new era in cancer care, reducing healthcare disparities and brightening opportunities for people to get healthy, stay healthy, and live their fullest lives.

This testimonial relays an account of an individual’s response to the treatment. This patient's account is genuine, typical, and documented. However, it does not provide any indication, guide, warranty or guarantee as to the response other persons may have to the treatment. Responses to the treatment discussed can and do vary and are specific to the individual patient. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned or have any questions, you should contact your physician or other qualified health care provider for advice and/or discussion regarding a medical condition, diagnosis, treatments, procedures or practices before undertaking a new health care regimen.

References

¹ World Health Organization. Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services. 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2024-global-cancer-burden-growing--amidst-mounting-need-for-services
² Bamodu OA, Chung CC. Cancer Care Disparities: Overcoming Barriers to Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. JCO Glob Oncol. 2024 Aug;10:e2300439. doi: 10.1200/GO.23.00439. PMID: 39173080.
³ Calamia M, Abraham I. The economics of biosimilars and challenges to biosimilar adoption in low- and middle-income countries. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2023;23(8):653-657. doi:10.1080/14712598.2023.2247972
⁴ IQVIA. The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe. 2025. Available from: https://www.iqvia.com/-/media/iqvia/pdfs/library/white-papers/the-impact-of-biosimilar-competition-in-europe-2024.pdf