Samsung Bioepis’ breast cancer treatment biosimilar launches in US

Samsung Bioepis’ breast cancer treatment Ontruzant (trastuzumab) was launched in the US via local partner Merck, Thursday.

Ontruzant references Roche’s blockbuster original Herceptin, which recorded annual global revenue of approximately 7.2 trillion won ($5.8 billion) in 2019.

The US accounts for about 45 percent of Herceptin sales.

Samsung Bioepis strategizes to sell Ontruzant at a 15 percent more affordable rate than Herceptin, as well as to offer doses of 150 milligrams and 420 milligrams to expand prescription options.

This is the second biosimilar that Samsung Bioepis has launched in the US, the biggest pharmaceuticals market in the world, following rheumatoid arthritis treatment Renflexis in 2017. Renflexis references Janssen’s Remicade (infliximab).

Merck is also responsible for Renflexis’ US sales.

Samsung Bioepis also has US commercialization approvals for its Enbrel (etanercept) biosimilar Eticovo and Humira (adalimumab) biosimilar Hadlima. Both drugs treat rheumatoid arthritis. They have yet to be launched for the US market.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)