HSP

LAKE FOREST, Illinois, Aug. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP) applauds the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for developing and issuing a new adoption resource to further support the introduction of biosimilar infliximab, including Hospira's Inflectra™, allowing patients greater access to these expensive treatments and greater choice for physicians.

The recently published adoption resource entitled, "Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab: Inflectra and Remsima," provides practical advice on how to effectively introduce biosimilars into clinical practice, as well as a process to implement a well-managed and safe switching program from reference biologics to biosimilars. Through case studies, the resource highlights how biosimilars can help lead to a more sustainable healthcare system and can help improve patient access to high cost biologic medicines.

This new resource underlines the opportunities for cost-savings and re-investment, stating that "the use of biosimilars can reduce costs, allowing more treatment with new medicines as long as the appropriate follow-up and monitoring systems are in place to manage risk and patient needs and expectations."¹ According to NICE, "Biosimilars have the potential to offer the NHS considerable cost savings, especially as biological medicines are often expensive and are often used to treat long-term conditions."²

This reinvestment offers a new basis for sustainable healthcare through "close collaboration and trust between clinicians, hospital management and CCGs, with all parties being appropriately incentivised to deliver high quality patient care and cost savings."³

Since launching the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb), Inflectra in the UK in February 2015, Hospira has continued to work with payers and clinicians in supporting the introduction of Inflectra into their care pathways safely and effectively.

"Inflectra continues to provide an alternative, potentially more affordable treatment option for people suffering from severe, debilitating diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease while maintaining comparable quality, efficacy and safety to the reference product," said Paul Greenland, vice president, Biologics, Hospira.

Hospira is the only U.S.-based company currently marketing biosimilars in the highly regulated markets of Europe and Australia, where we have seen biosimilars help to decrease the costs of biologics by 20 to 30 percent. This has allowed European healthcare systems to reduce their healthcare spending, while at the same time increasing patient access to these important biologic medicines.

About Hospira

Hospira, Inc. is the world's leading provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies, and a global leader in biosimilars. Through its broad, integrated portfolio, Hospira is uniquely positioned to Advance Wellness™ by improving patient and caregiver safety while reducing healthcare costs. The company is headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill. Learn more at www.hospira.com. For more information about biosimilars, please visit www.biosimilarfacts.com.

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A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Hospira's future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern Hospira's expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to Hospira's expectations regarding regulatory approvals, clinical trials and the actions of competitors. Hospira's expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, without limitation, challenges inherent in creating and developing compounds and product candidates and economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, legal, supply and other factors. Information on these and additional risks affecting Hospira's business and operating results are more fully discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available as of the date hereof, and Hospira disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

¹ Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab: Inflectra and Remsima
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329

² Introducing biosimilar versions of infliximab: Inflectra and Remsima; Chapter 2 Background on biosimilar medicines
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329/chapter/2-Background-on-biosimilar-medicines

³ Insights from the NHS: managing the introduction of biosimilar medicines - University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htta329/chapter/4-Insights-from-the-NHS-managing-the-introduction-of-biosimilar-medicines