Once the world's factory, China has seen costs inch up while drug prices are being cut deeply by centralized procurement schemes. As uncertainties mount, companies need to focus on improving process and scale-up technology, suggested industry observers at a JPM panel discussion on innovation and market access challenges.

Biocon-Mylan press ahead with plans to broaden patient access in the US to biosimilar pegfilgrastim and are enthused with the initial uptake for their trastuzumab biosimilar ahead of more upcoming competition. A mid-2020 US launch for partnered insulin glargine is also on course.