Sandoz is entering into a global partnership with Biocon, an India-based biopharmaceuticals company, to develop, manufacture, and commercialize multiple biosimilars in immunology and oncology for patients worldwide.
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will share responsibility for end-to-end development, manufacturing, and global regulatory approvals for a number of products, and will have a cost and profit share arrangement globally.
Worldwide commercialization responsibilities will be divided and each company’s strengths will be leveraged within specific geographies. Sandoz will lead commercialization in North America* and the EU,** while Biocon will lead commercialization in rest of the world.***
“Today’s announcement bolsters our leadership position in biosimilars and positions us to continue to lead well into the future,” said Richard Francis, CEO, Sandoz. “Biocon is a great complement to our proven biosimilar capabilities at Sandoz. Through this collaboration, we are reinforcing our long-term commitment to increase patient access to biologics.”
Sandoz, a Novartis division, has five biosimilars currently marketed worldwide and maintains a position in both innovative and off-patent medicines.
Biocon, headquartered in Bangalore, has successfully developed and taken a range of novel biologics, biosimilar antibodies, rh-insulin, and insulin analogs from ‘lab to market.’
An early mover in the biosimilars space, Biocon has successfully launched its insulin glargine in Japan, trastuzumab and bevacizumab biosimilars in India, and rh-insulin, insulin glargine, and biosimilar trastuzumab in some emerging markets. It was the first India-based company to have a biosimilar approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
* U.S. and Canada
** including European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Balkan states
*** including Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
(Source: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.)
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
