Coherus BioSciences to launch Lucentis biosimilar
Coherus BioSciences on Oct. 3 plans to debut Cimerli (ranibizumab-eqrn), a biosimilar product interchangeable with Roche’s Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) for all approved indications.
An anti-VEGF therapy within a class of biologics that has been revolutionary in helping retinal patients maintain or gain vision, Cimerli was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2022.
Cimerli is indicated for patients with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy and myopic choroidal neovascularization.
"With the upcoming launch of Cimerli, retina specialists, patients and payers can expect the same efficacy and safety as Lucentis delivered with the comprehensive savings and patient support services that Coherus is known to deliver," said Paul Reider, chief commercial officer of Coherus BioSciences.
[Read more: Coherus BioSciences gets FDA nod for Neulasta biosimilar]
“We look forward to competing in this large and growing market with our dedicated and experienced retina sales team, leveraging our proven commercial expertise as we accelerate adoption of Cimerli over the coming months,” said David Brown, director of clinical research at Retina Consultants of Texas.
“A biosimilar that is interchangeable with Lucentis will enable my patients greater treatment access and choice,” he said. “With the same five FDA-approved indications, clinical equivalence to Lucentis in terms of efficacy and safety, and the same dosage strengths, I believe that Cimerli will address biologic treatment costs without compromising safety and clinical outcomes.”
“Coherus has both the opportunity and the capability to be very successful with the Cimerli launch, as we start the next leg of our revenue inflection towards our target range of $1.2B to $2.2B in 2026,” Denny Lanfear, CEO of Coherus BioSciences said. “We are well positioned competitively to build upon our very successful Udenyca track record and deliver strong results. As a company, we embrace high performance in everything we do, while valuing our patient-centric approach to our mission. These qualities make me incredibly proud of our accomplishments and the broader Coherus team.”
[Read more: FDA approves Bioeq's Lucentis biosimilar]
Cimerli will be available on Oct. 3, 2022, though U.S. specialty distributors at a list price of $1,360.00 and $816.00 per single-dose vial for the 0.5 mg and 0.3 mg dosages respectively. This represents a 30 percent discount from the list price of the reference product, the company noted.
Additionally, through Cimerli Solutions, Coherus offers healthcare professionals comprehensive practice and patient support that includes extensive patient assistance, industry-leading electronic services and office support to ensure successful access and reimbursement.