Use of a biosimilar granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization: an analysis of mobilization and engraftment

Peripheral blood haematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization has become a standard procedure prior to autologous stem cell transplantation. Biosimilar granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GCSF) have recently been awarded European Union (EU) licences for stem cell mobilization but data for their use in this context remain limited. The biosimilar GCSF, Ratiograstim (R) (Ratiopharm, Ulm, Germany) was granted an EU licence in September 2008 and incorporated into clinical practice in the Wessex Blood and Marrow Transplantation Programme in December 2008. Data were retrospectively collected for 154 consecutive patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell harvest between January 2009 and December 2011 using the biosimilar GCSF. 131 consecutive patients from the preceding 3years, who had received Neupogen (R), were used as a control. We analysed both parameters relevant to stem cell collection and engraftment data, where patients proceeded to transplantation. We found no statistically significant difference between the two groups when comparing CD34 predictors, total number of CD34+ stem cells collected, number of days required for collection, or for time to engraftment. This is, to our knowledge, the largest direct comparison of a biosimilar GCSF with originator GCSF for stem cell mobilization. The use of biosimilar GCSF can produce a significant cost saving, allowing investment in other areas of stem cell transplantation.