Lupin rolls out Rymti biosimilar Etanercept in Canada

Lupin is introducing Rymti, its first biosimilar in Canada, through its partner Sandoz Canada (Sandoz). 

Rymti is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, active and progressive psoriatic arthritis, severe axial spondyloarthritis, moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and chronic severe plaque psoriasis in children and adolescents. Rymti is approved for all therapeutic indications of Enbrel.

Enbrel is a registered trademark of Amgen in the U.S. and Canada and Pfizer in rest of the world.

Rymti is a registered trademark of Lupin Healthcare (U.K.). 

Lupin’s Etanercept was first approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by PMDA in 2019, EMA in 2020, Health Canada in 2022, and since then has offered an effective treatment option for several chronic inflammatory diseases, the company said.

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Rymti is available as a solution for injection in a pre-filled pen and pre-filled syringe. Data show a high patient acceptance of the easy-to-handle pre-filled pen. Patients favored this latex-free device for self-injection, which can lead to improvement in compliance, Lupin noted.

Rymti, with an equivalent efficacy and safety to reference product Enbrel®, is an attractive cost-effective treatment alternative that can contribute to sustainable healthcare and treatment options. The etanercept biosimilar Rymti, produced by Lupin, received approval from Canada’s drug regulator, Health Canada, in August 2022, for all indications of the reference product Enbrel, Lupin said.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of Rymti, Lupin’s first biosimilar in Canada through our partner Sandoz,” said Vinita Gupta, CEO of Lupin. “With this important milestone, we continue to advance healthcare accessibility and affordability for patients in Canada.”

“Etanercept is used globally in the fight against a range of severe autoimmune disorders. We are happy to bring etanercept to the patients in Canada. We have diligently worked to build our portfolio to include etanercept ensuring patients have access to effective and affordable equivalent. This launch demonstrates our commitment to fostering healthcare solutions that truly make a difference,” said Cyrus Karkaria, president of biotechnology at Lupin.

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Michel Robidoux, president and general manager of Sandoz Canada said, “The launch of Rymti is a key milestone for Sandoz Canada. Thanks to our exclusive partnership with Lupin, we’re adding another etanercept option on the Canadian market, increasing access for patients.”