Significant biosimilar activities this week include
20 Jul 20 | EU | Spherix reported that the EU market for AbbVie’s Humira® has been negatively impacted by gastroenterologists increasingly prescribing alternative mechanism of action agents, including Stelara® (ustekinumab) and Entyvio® (vedolizumab) for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) and the increased prescription of adalimumab biosimilars. These increases have come at a cost to AbbVie, with use of Humira® in UC and CD decreasing in the EU.
21 Jul 20 | Novartis released its Q2 FY20 financial results, reporting COVID-19 negatively impacted demand for Lucentis® (ranibizumab).
22 Jul 20 | IN | Cadila Pharma announced it has launched Bevaro® (biosimilar bevacizumab) in India. Bevaro® is indicated for ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer and kidney cancer.
22 Jul 20 | Biogen released its Q2 FY20 financial results, reporting a 7% decrease in biosimilar revenues compared to FY19.
22 Jul 20 | Genentech published the results from its Ph III Archway study, evaluating its Port Delivery System (PDS) with ranibizumab for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Genentech reported that 98.4% of patients were able to go six months without requiring additional treatment, and achieved vision outcomes equivalent to patients receiving monthly ranibizumab eye injections.
23 Jul 20 | EU | The CHMP adopted a positive opinion recommending the granting of marketing authorisation for Centus Biotherapeutics’ Equidacent® (biosimilar bevacizumab) for the treatment of carcinoma of the colon or rectum, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer and carcinoma of the cervix.
23 Jul 20 | Roche released its Q2 FY20 results, reporting 1% growth, but a 4% decline when adjusted to Swiss francs. The decline was attributed to COVID-19 impacts, biosimilar competition and a stronger Swiss franc. In particular, biosimilars for Herceptin® (trastuzumab), Avastin® (bevacizumab) and MabThera/Rituxan® (rituximab) impacted upon sales in the US and Japan.
24 Jul 20 | A new study published by the Journal of Clinical Pathways demonstrates significant cost-savings generated by Sandoz’s pegfilgrastim biosimilar Ziextenzo®.