This is a recombinant version of human G-CSF. The peptide is produced in E. coli and is non-glycosylated, whereas the naturally occurring peptide has an O-linked carbohydrate chain attached to Thr133. The carbohydrate chain protects the native peptide from degradation by human neutrophil elastase [1]. Therefore, filgrastim is more quickly degraded and loses biological activity more rapidly in comparison to native G-CSF.
Biosimilar drugs: In March 2015, the US FDA approved the biosimilar drug, Zarxio® (filgrastim-sndz). Zarxio® is approved for the same indications as the reference product Neupogen®. This was the first biosimilar product to receive FDA approval. The potential for utilising filgrastim biosimilar agents in neutropenia management is discussed in [2]. |
