Preparations Being Made for Much-Delayed Introduction of Enbrel Biosimilars

Samsung Bioepis’ deepening ties with Teva has yielded a new deal for its etanercept biosimilar Eticovo. Under the new agreement, Teva will obtain US commercialization rights to etanercept-ykro. The timing of Eticovo’s commercial launch in the US will be determined by Teva, accordin to the press release.

Does the Direct-to-Employer Route for Biosimilars Make Sense?

Employers have strongly indicated that they would like to move away from the big 3 PBMs for cost transparency and the ability to capture as much of the savings as possible themselves. Going the direct-to-employer route, as Waltz Health and Fresenius Kabi are doing, would seem a natural option. Waltz Health, a digital health company, … Continue reading Does the Direct-to-Employer Route for Biosimilars Make Sense? →

The Bona Fide Marketing Standard and What That Means for Biosimilars and Generics

Teva received an appellate court ruling suggesting that CMS did not have authority from Congress to define a bona fide marketing standard for its IRA Medicare Fair Price negotiations. How does this relate to products targeted for IPAY negotiations and biosimilar competitors? This week, Teva received an appellate court ruling on the IRA Medicare Fair … Continue reading The Bona Fide Marketing Standard and What That Means for Biosimilars and Generics →

Partners Teva/Celltrion Seek the Jump on Pfizer, Launch Their Rituximab Biosimilar Next Week

When Pfizer announced its intention just more than a week ago to begin marketing its rituximab biosimilar Ruxience® in January 2020, industry watchers wondered when we might hear a response from its sole approved competitor. The wait was over quickly: Teva and Celltrion will begin shipping their own rituximab biosimilar Truxima® on November 11. Truxima … Continue reading Partners Teva/Celltrion Seek the Jump on Pfizer, Launch Their Rituximab Biosimilar Next Week →

Don’t Expect All-Out Biosimilar Competition for Herceptin—Just Yet

Five trastuzumab biosimilars have been approved for marketing in the US, and the composition-of-matter patent for the reference product, Herceptin®, expires June 30, 2019. That doesn’t mean we’ll see a jail break of competition, like that seen in the EU last October with adalimumab’s patent expiration. Yet there has been heavy interest in capturing a … Continue reading Don’t Expect All-Out Biosimilar Competition for Herceptin—Just Yet →

FDA Approves Celltrion and Teva’s Herceptin® Biosimilar

On December 14, the US Food and Drug Administration gave its approval for a new trastuzumab biosimilar (Herzuma™). Manufactured by Celltrion and marketed in the US by Teva, this agent has been designated trastuzumab-pkrb. The decision marks the second trastuzumab biosimilar approval, and the 16th biosimilar agentthat has made it through the 351(k) regulatory pathway. … Continue reading FDA Approves Celltrion and Teva’s Herceptin® Biosimilar →

Pfizer Signs Licensing Agreement With Roche on Trastuzumab Biosimilar

With Pfizer expecting to hear back on its 351(k) resubmission on a trastuzumab biosimilar in early 2019, Genentech and its parent, Roche, may have been getting nervous about their competitor’s intentions. After all, Pfizer was willing to launch at risk with its marketing of Inflectra®, the infliximab biosimilar manufactured by partner Celltrion. In fact, it … Continue reading Pfizer Signs Licensing Agreement With Roche on Trastuzumab Biosimilar →

Rituximab Biosimilar Approved by FDA for Cancer Treatment

On November 28, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of rituximab-abbs (Truxima™), produced by Celltrion and marketed by Teva. Approval for this rituximab biosimilar was overwhelmingly recommended by the FDA’s Oncology Drug Advisory Committee by a vote of 16-0 in October. It is the first biosimilar agent approved for the treatment … Continue reading Rituximab Biosimilar Approved by FDA for Cancer Treatment →

Fresenius Kabi and Celltrion Get Good News

A German manufacturer is considering its options after the successful completion of two clinical studies involving a pegfilgrastim biosimilar (MSB11455). Fresenius Kabi, which completed its purchase of the biosimilar business from Merck KGaA in September 2017, announced its investigational biosimilar agent had proved sufficiently similar to the reference product Neulasta® in these phase 1 investigations … Continue reading Fresenius Kabi and Celltrion Get Good News →

Celltrion’s Rituximab Biosimilar Earns Positive Review

The information package released by reviewers for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicates that a positive recommendation for Celltrion’s rituximab biosimilar is likely at the Advisory Committee meeting on October 10. The members of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will review the data and hear public comments before voting to recommend that the FDA … Continue reading Celltrion’s Rituximab Biosimilar Earns Positive Review →