After an extraordinary year that saw demand patterns and the supply chain upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a major merger that has transformed one of the global off-patent industry’s biggest players, Generics Bulletin’s Top 50 has once again seen significant changes.

While US biosimilar approvals have been thin on the ground in 2021 – with products delayed due to the FDA’s inability to conduct certain facility inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic – the market has nevertheless seen several firsts this year, including two interchangeability designations and the first ophthalmic biosimilar approval.

Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor says the generics and biosimilars giant’s focus and strategy remain “unchanged” in the wake of a long-awaited announcement by parent company Novartis that it is exploring its options for the Sandoz business.

As CEO Michael Goettler provides an update on the progress made by Viatris in its first year as a combined company, he also offers Generics Bulletin hints as to the detailed strategy that will be unveiled at the firm’s upcoming investor day and explains how biosimilars – including interchangeable Semglee (insulin glargine) – and complex generics are important components of the firm’s future growth plans.