On February 23, 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion for BEKEMV®. BEKEMV® is a biosimilar candidate referencing Alexion’s biological product SOLIRIS® (eculizumab), which is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG2/4κ antibody that binds to the human c5 complement protein. SOLIRIS® is approved for the treatment of paroxysmal…
Alteogen Inc. announced that it entered an exclusive license agreement with Sandoz AG pursuant to which Sandoz will have world-wide rights to use Alteogen’s ALT-B4 hyaluronidase, derived using Hybrozyme™ Technology, to develop and commercialize a subcutaneous version of a Sandoz biosimilar product. Sandoz also has an option to license the Hybrozyme™…
The US FDA has accepted a Biologics License Application (BLA) from Sandoz for a proposed denosumab biosimilar. In its press-release, Sandoz stated that the “application includes all indications covered by the reference medicines Prolia® (denosumab)* and Xgeva® (denosumab)* for treating a variety of conditions, including osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and…
Celltrion and Samsung recently filed IPR petitions challenging claims of Regeneron patents directed to treating angiogenic eye disorders with aflibercept. Specifically, Celltrion and Samsung have each filed petitions challenging U.S. Patent No. 10,130,681: IPR2023-00442 (Samsung), IPR2023-00532 (Celltrion), and U.S. Patent No. 10,888,601: IPR2023-00566 (Samsung), IPR2023-00533 (Celltrion). As we previously reported, Mylan…
Last week, Fresenius Kabi announced the launch of STIMUFEND (pegfilgrastim-fpgk), a biosimilar to Amgen’s NEULASTA, in the United States. As we previously reported, STIMUFEND was Fresenius Kabi’s first biosimilar approved by the FDA on September 6, 2022 and is now Fresenius Kabi’s first biosimilar to launch in the United States. …
On Feb 12, 2023, Biocon Biologics announced that the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) for its Biologics License Application (BLA) for its biosimilar referencing AVASTIN (bevacizumab), previously submitted by Viatris. Biocon Biologics completed the multi-billion dollar acquisition of Viatris’s global biosimilar business in December 2022. The CRL relates…
We previously reported on Regeneron’s antitrust suit against Amgen in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The case concerns Regeneron’s allegation that Amgen has violated antitrust law by engaging “in a persistent exclusionary campaign to deny patients the life-saving benefits of [] Regeneron’s cholesterol-reducing medication, Praluent® (alirocumab).” …
As previously reported, Genentech and Tanvex reached an agreement in January 2022 to settle BPCIA litigation relating to Tanvex’s biosimilar of HERCEPTIN (trastuzumab). On February 9, the court entered an order dismissing all claims in the case. Tanvez’s trastuzumab biosimilar has not yet been approved by FDA. Genentech previously settled…
On February 8, 2023, Regeneron announced that the FDA approved its EYLEA® (aflibercept) injection for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants—the first pediatric approval for this indication. Regeneron reported that the approval is supported by data from FIREFLEYE and BUTTERFLEYE—two phase III clinical trials comparing 0.4…
Big Molecule Watch monitors for biosimilar clinical trial results. Here we report on four recent announcements concerning biosimilars of natalizumab, trastuzumab, daratumumab, and aflibercept. On January 23, 2023, researchers published the results of a phase III clinical trial demonstrating that PB006, Polpharma Biologics SA’s biosimilar to Biogen’s approved treatment TYSABRI®…