Earlier this week, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Teva) announced that the UK Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved ONGAVIA, a ranibizumab biosimilar referencing Genentech’s LUCENTIS. Ranibizumab inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is responsible for the excessive formation of blood vessels in the retina. The United Kingdom is…
On March 30, 2022, Fresenius Kabi announced that the European Commission approved STIMUFEND, a pegfilgrastim biosimilar referencing NEULASTA, for patients with non-myeloid cancer who are receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. STIMUFEND, to launch in a prefilled syringe, is Fresenius’s first approved molecule in its oncology biosimilar portfolio and second biosimilar approved in…
On March 15, 2022, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) denied institution of post-grant review (PGR) proceedings initiated by Celltrion Inc. concerning Regeneron Pharmaceutical’s U.S. Patent No. 10,857,231 (the ’231 Patent) after Regeneron disclaimed the patent. The ’231 patent has claims directed to formulations of aflibercept, the active ingredient…
Earlier this month, Samsung Bioepis Co. Ltd. announced that Health Canada approved ONTRUZANT (also known as SB3), a biosimilar referencing Herceptin (Trastuzumab), for the treatment of adults with Early Breast Cancer, Metastatic Breast Cancer and metastatic gastric cancer. ONTRUZANT is Samsung Bioepis’ fifth biosimilar approved for the use in Canada…
On January 12, the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) announced that Vivian Fritelli, Chief Executive of Generic and Biosimilar Medicines of Southern Africa, will be the next IGBA Chair for 2022. The IGBA represents manufacturers of generic and biosimilars medicines around the world, and “works to improve patients’…
Last week, Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Organon & Co. announced that the FDA accepted for review their supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for a citrate-free, high-concentration (100 mg/mL) formulation of SB5 (adalimumab-bwwd), a biosimilar referencing HUMIRA (adalimumab). The FDA previously approved SB5 under the brand name HADLIMA as a low-concentration…
As we ring in the new year, we look back at the top U.S. biosimilar market developments of 2021. Here are our top five: 1. SEMGLEE Launches As First-Ever Interchangeable Biosimilar In July, the FDA approved Viatris Inc.’s (formerly Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.) SEMGLEE (insulin-glargine-yfgn), a biosimilar to LANTUS (insulin glargine)….
In October, Express Scripts announced that it would add Viatris’ SEMGLEE (insulin glargine-yfgn) injection as a preferred therapy on its formulary beginning in January 2022. Back in July, the FDA approved SEMGLEE as the first biosimilar insulin to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes and…
This week, three development programs announced updates to their ranibizumab biosimilars. Ranibizumab is the active ingredient in Genentech’s LUCENTIS, which is indicated for retinal vascular disorders, including neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). On June 25, 2021, Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. (“Samsung Bioepis”) and Biogen Inc. (“Biogen”) announced that the…
Samsung Biologics’ third quarter report disclosed that it had suspended its research and development of its SAIT101, a biosimilar of Rituxan. As we previously reported, the rituximab product was being developed through Archigen Biotech, a joint venture with AstraZeneca. According to a report in Korea Biomedical Review, a Samsung Biologics…