On August 25, 2023, Sandoz announced that the FDA has approved its biosimilar TYRUKO® (natalizumab-sztn), developed by Polpharma Biologics. TYRUKO® injection is the first and only FDA-approved biosimilar for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). TYRUKO® is also indicated for inducing and maintaining clinical response and remission in adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s Disease (CD) with evidence of inflammation who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, conventional CD therapies and inhibitors of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor, a substance in your body that causes inflammation). Sarah Yim, M.D., director of the Office of Therapeutic Biologics and Biosimilars in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation of Research stated, “[The] approval of the first biosimilar product indicated to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis furthers the FDA’s longstanding commitment to support a competitive marketplace for biological products and ultimately empowers patients by helping to increase access to safe, effective and high-quality medications at potentially lower cost.”
