Samsung Bioepis, Teva ink deal for Soliris biosimilar
Samsung Bioepis and Teva have entered into a license, development and commercialization agreement for Epysqli (eculizumab-aagh), which is Samsung Bioepis’s biosimilar to Soliris.
Samsung Bioepis will be responsible for the development, regulatory registration, manufacture and supply of the product, while Teva will be responsible for commercialization of the product in the United States. The financial terms of the agreement remain confidential.
Epysqli is a complement inhibitor indicated for the treatment of rare disease patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria to reduce hemolysis, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome to inhibit complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy and generalized myasthenia gravis in adult patients who are anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody positive.
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“We are excited to announce this new strategic partnership for a biosimilar which has a significant potential to increase access for rare disease patients, who are suffering from the high-cost and the limited availability of the treatment. Rare diseases such as PNH, aHUS and gMG, pose many but unique challenges to patients and their families, and we are dedicated to enhancing the lives of patients including those with rare diseases,” said Kyung-Ah Kim, president and CEO of Samsung Bioepis.
Kim added, “This collaboration is a testament of our long-term commitment in the biosimilars business, as a leading biopharmaceutical company with a mission to innovate access to treatments for healthcare systems, payers, providers, and patients. We will work closely with Teva to accelerate access to this important biologic medicine for rare disease patients in the U.S.”
Chris Fox, executive vice president of U.S. commercial at Teva, said, "We are excited to enter this partnership with Samsung Bioepis, who share our commitment to accelerate the delivery of impactful and accessible medicines to patients. The collaboration enables us to leverage our extensive commercial capabilities and is aligned with our Pivot to Growth strategy, introducing a new biosimilar to our broad biosimilar portfolio, accelerating access to affordable treatment options."
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