JSR Life Sciences Launches New “Similis Bio” Business Division to Accelerate Biosimilar Development

JSR Life Sciences recently announced its launch of a new business division, “Similis Bio,” intended to help biosimilar drug developers “improve the efficiency and cost of biosimilar development.”  Specifically, Similis Bio will offer analytical and process development data that developers can use to “determine an appropriate biosimilar target, accelerate early program development, and reduce analytical costs.”  Similis Bio also intends to facilitate the development of multiple biosimilar programs in parallel by establishing co-development agreements with partner companies that “giv[e] partners an exclusive right, but not an obligation, to purchase multiple programs.”  JSR explained that this collaboration model is intended to reduce the risk of program cancellations and extend market analysis timelines.  JSR Life Sciences’ Chief Technology Officer Jean-Pierre Wery further explained that “[t]his model will enable changes in strategy far beyond traditional drug development approaches by centralizing reference product data and expertise under one roof,” and hypothesized that “[b]y improving timelines and development costs for drug makers, more biosimilars can be brought to market faster.”